


Deja Vu

by LSUsweetie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drunken Flirting, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Fred Weasley Lives, Friends to Lovers, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Illnesses, Mention of Covid 19, Oral Sex, Quarantine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:55:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25630918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LSUsweetie/pseuds/LSUsweetie
Summary: On a family holiday when the COVID-19 lockdowns begin, Fred and Hermione reminisce with their children about similar events that occurred sixteen years earlier. What happened when they found themselves in quarantine together?Rated E for later chapters
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Comments: 102
Kudos: 142
Collections: Fremione Fanatics' Summer Fic Fest!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Fremione Fanatics' Summer Fic Fest. The story is complete but will be posted as a WIP as it's still being edited. I will update at least once a week.
> 
> Thank you to my wonderful beta, LadyBlack3. I truly appreciate the time and effort that you've put into this story! Any remaining mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Thanks to PrettiestStar17 and moonfairy13 for making this fest happen! I'm so excited about all the new Fremione stories!

10 March 2020

Sighing deeply, Hermione listened to Harry Potter’s voice coming through her mobile. This couldn’t be happening, not again.“Of course Harry, I understand...Yes, we’ll be returning home as soon as you can arrange for our Portkey’s departure time to be changed. Send me a text after you have that sorted. Thank you.” Her voice softening, she replied, “We’ll be careful. Love you too, bye.” 

She placed her phone carefully back into her bag, rubbing her temples in a futile attempt to soothe the pounding in her head. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught her husband’s gaze, noting his concerned expression and the restlessness of their children. Smiling reassuringly, she made her way to where they stood waiting for her.

This was supposed to be their dream holiday. The trip of a lifetime before their eldest, Felicity, started at Hogwarts in the autumn. They’d only been in the United States for eight days, and they were scheduled to stay for nearly three more weeks. Walt Disney World, their current location, was only their first stop. In two days’ time, they were set to spend some time seeing the beaches and a few other attractions in Florida before moving on to several other popular Muggle and magical tourist attractions and historical locations around the country.

Now, she was going to have to break it to the children that they couldn’t do any of that. She knew they would be disappointed, but it couldn’t be helped. Forcing down the panic that threatened to overwhelm her, she fought to appear relaxed and upbeat as she addressed her family. “That was Uncle Harry. Everyone at home is fine so there’s no need to worry, but I need to tell you some things. Why don’t we go and find a nice spot to have some lunch? We’ll discuss what that call was about.” 

Half an hour later, they were settled in the back room of Pinocchio Village Haus. Hermione decided on this eatery for the entertainment factor. She’d remembered her visit to the Magic Kingdom as a child with her own parents and how enamored she’d been of watching the boats from _It’s a Small World_ through the viewing window here. She hoped that her children would be distracted for long enough for her to fill Fred in on what was happening. 

Cautiously, Hermione glanced around. There weren’t many Muggles having lunch this late. They’d been waiting every day until the rush was over and luckily the timing had coincided with Harry’s call today. Surreptitiously, she pulled out her wand and cast a Muffliato on the small table that she and Fred had taken next to where their children were sitting. 

Her gaze met her husband's as he reached across the table and took her hand in his, demanding in a quiet voice, “What the bloody hell is going on? I know it’s something big.”

Her gut clenched, she hated that she had to tell him this, knowing he would feel just as anxious as she did until they were safely back at home. This wasn’t something she ever expected to live through again. Squeezing his hand gently, for her own comfort as much as his, she began to speak, “Do you remember seeing that virus that’s been spreading in China?”

He nodded silently, his eyes growing wide as he gestured for her to continue. 

“We should have been paying closer attention to what was going on in the world. It’s spread to other countries and now Italy has issued a Lockdown Order in the Muggle world, as well as the wizarding areas. Everyone is being affected equally it seems. Italy's residents are confined to their homes. All businesses deemed nonessential have been shut down. People are only allowed to leave if they are considered to be key workers, or if they need to shop for food or medical supplies. With this new development, and with travel restrictions beginning to become more prevalent, Harry suggested that we return home immediately. If a travel ban is enacted, we may be stuck here.” Her voice broke on the last word. She sat quietly for a moment, fighting the tears that wanted so desperately to fall. There was no way she would cry in front of the children, they were far too perceptive and would immediately know that something was wrong.

Fred remained silent as he clearly struggled to process all of this. She met his gaze and saw all of the concern and fear she was feeling reflected there. Finally, taking a deep breath, he spoke. “It’s going to be okay. Harry will get the Portkey sorted and we’ll be home before you know it. We’re not going to be isolated like we were last time. Anyway,” that situation worked out just fine for us, didn’t it,” he winked and shot her a smirk. “How long do you think it would have taken us to figure out that we were perfect for each other if we hadn’t been stuck together?”

“You’re right. Logically, I know this, but I can’t help that awful feeling of dread.” Shrugging slightly, she glanced over at where their seven-year-old twins, Granger and Finn were sitting next to their older sister, happily eating and waving to the passengers on the ride. “I have to be strong this time, for them. They can’t know how worried I am. I know they’re going to be devastated that we have to cut our trip short. How are we going to tell them?”

“Don’t worry too much. They’re resilient, they’ll understand. We just need to come up with some creative ways to keep them entertained at home. Who knows how long we will end up stuck there!”

Just then, Hermione’s phone signaled an incoming text message. Retrieving it from her bag, she read aloud, “Spoke with Kings, you’re set to leave the morning of the twelfth at eight o’clock, Eastern Daylight Time. The Portkey will take you directly to your home. You will be required to quarantine yourselves for fourteen full days. After that, you will be allowed to resume normal activities — if the country hasn’t shut down by then.. Gin is going to take care of your shopping tomorrow so you can come back to a fully stocked fridge and pantry. If there’s anything particular you need or want, let one of us know.” 

When she finished the message, she looked up at Fred and said, “Well, I guess that means we need to make the most out of the time that we’ve still got here. We’ll finish out today’s plans, then go back to our resort and talk to the kids. I think we should let them choose what they want to do tomorrow since we’re going to be leaving a day early. I’m going to pop out at some point and visit a shop that sells items that will keep them entertained for the two weeks that we’ll be quarantined.”

xXx

12 March 2020

They’d arrived back at their home in England a few short hours before. Though it had been morning when they left Florida, it was already growing dark outside on this side of the Atlantic. Hermione stood in the small potions lab they’d installed when they built their home. She was preparing a gentle sleep potion of her own creation. It wasn’t addictive and didn’t disrupt normal sleep patterns, the soothing valerian root and camomile blend was gentle for the little ones but strong enough for Fred and herself. They could take it just once to adjust to the different time zone more quickly, although she wasn’t completely sure they needed it. The past couple of days had been stressful and exhausting enough. 

Potion done, Hermione made her way back to the kitchen where Fred was heating their dinner. They’d been pleased to find that not only had Ginny filled their larder, but Molly, bless her beautiful soul, had sent over several days worth of food that was already prepared. They only needed to warm it up. 

Once they’d all eaten their fill of the lovely meal, Hermione noticed that Felicity was watching her parents with interest. “Mum, you and Dad got together in a situation similar to this one, didn’t you?”

Hermione nodded, smiling at her daughter and reaching to place a hand on Fred’s arm. “We did. It wasn’t exactly the same, the quarantine was limited just to the magical world. Your dad and I attended a conference together shortly after I started working for Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. While we were there, one of the other attendees became very ill. The illness spread rapidly and the healers had no idea how to treat it. In order to try and contain it, they quarantined everyone at the conference in their hotel rooms. We had to stay there alone for two weeks.”

Raising her wand, Hermione summoned her favourite photo album from the study, showing the very first image to her children. It was a much younger Fred and Hermione standing on the terrace of a lovely hotel suite...

  
  



	2. Chapter One

3 July 2004

The sound of her own rapid heartbeat filled her ears as the heavy wooden door closed with an audible click. Immediately, she felt a strong ripple of magic that disturbed the air and physically forced them both to take a step back as they were magically sealed in from the outside. Hermione felt the scalding rush of sour bile at the back of her throat and her vision blurred. They were trapped, closed in, and totally isolated from the outside world for the next fourteen days. Turning to Fred, she saw all of the emotions she was feeling reflected in his expression. 

Fuck! What the bloody hell were they supposed to do for two weeks? Her mind raced with every possible scenario... What if one or both of them got sick? Would there be long term effects? How would they cope with being cut off from their friends and family? What if this went on for more than two weeks? Did they have enough food at the hotel? What if—

She wasn’t especially claustrophobic normally but she could already feel the panic setting in, her mind racing with so many questions it was dizzying. The lovely suite that she’d enjoyed all week felt as if it was closing in on her.

Of all the rotten luck, why did someone at the conference they were attending have to come down with an unknown and vicious mutation of Dragon Pox?

Without a word to Fred, Hermione rushed through the room to the private terrace while her legs could still carry her. Safely outside, the heavy weight on her chest and rapidly closing throat made her increasingly desperate as she struggled, gulping in the fresh air greedily. In an attempt to calm herself, she chanted in her head, “This isn’t real. I can breathe. I’ll be okay.” 

Forcing herself to breathe more slowly, she sank into the plush bench situated next to the small dining table. With her elbows resting on the tabletop, she put her face into her hands and closed her eyes tightly. Sitting quietly, she began to process everything that had occurred over the last few hours.

The two of them were attending the annual Experimental Charms and Potions Conference together. Recently, she’d become disenchanted with her job at the Ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. When she’d voiced her annoyance at a Weasley family dinner one weekend, Fred and George cornered her, offering her a job. She thought that they were joking at first, but they’d quickly convinced her they were serious. With the promise of absolute freedom to research and create, she agreed to join their team. 

Not long after she’d joined the Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes’ team, Fred approached her about attending the conference with him. She’d been thrilled, especially when he explained that it was to be held in a gorgeous resort on a private magical island near Santorini. Why wouldn’t she jump at the chance to attend? A beautiful location, and an opportunity to learn new things. It was the perfect combination for her.

Unfortunately, their lovely week had come to an abrupt and terrible end when the conference coordinator announced that everyone there had been exposed to a new strain of Dragon Pox that was far more contagious and deadly than the illness had been previously. As a result, everyone there had to stay and be quarantined for two weeks to make sure that they wouldn’t spread it to anyone else. When they learned that no one would be allowed to leave their own rooms, Hermione and Fred had quickly made the decision to share a room for the duration of their isolation. There were two beds, and they’d known each other for years. They determined that being together would surely be better than being completely alone.

They were extremely fortunate because they’d booked the larger, luxury suites. Their outdoor space boasted a hot tub and a small swimming pool in addition to the dining set, and a pair of lounge chairs that were situated next to the pool. Inside, there was a large bedroom, a small kitchen area, and an enormous bathroom. Hermione couldn’t imagine being stuck in anything without adequate outdoor space for two weeks. She felt trapped as it was. 

Feeling Fred’s presence, Hermione took a few more deep breaths before lifting her head to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry, I panicked. This isn’t like me. I honestly don’t know what came over me.”

Offering the glass of water that he held, he smiled reassuringly. “There’s nothing to apologise for.” He crouched down next to where she sat, placing his hand lightly on her arm. “Are you alright? I didn’t want to crowd you, but I wanted to make sure that you’re okay.” He spoke in a soft, soothing voice as if attempting to calm a spooked animal. Her first instinct was to snap at him for treating her like a child but when she saw that his features held no condescension, only concern, she tamped down her reaction.

Taking a small sip of the cool water, she smiled up at him. “I’m fine now. When they sealed that door, I felt like I was suffocating. I needed the fresh air… needed to not feel like I was trapped.” Smiling appreciatively up at him she added, “You aren’t crowding me. I’m thankful that you’re here. Imagine being stuck here completely alone. I don’t know about you, but I think I’d go a bit barmy without any kind of human contact for that long,” she shuddered visibly at the thought. 

He followed her lead when she stood before she hugged him and thought to herself that if she had to be stuck with anyone, Fred Weasley was a good choice. She wouldn’t be bored, and in the few months that they’d been working together, she’d begun to see a different side of him. He wasn’t just pranks and fun. There was a serious businessman and a truly kind person lurking beneath all the humor. “Genuinely, I’m thankful that we’re here together, and with this nice outdoor space. I just had a little moment at being locked in.”

Chuckling, Fred kissed her gently on the cheek. “Course you’re happy to be stuck with me, love. I’m amazing!” When she shoved him lightly, he laughed, then looking around suggested, “How about we eat out here tonight? I’ll go order the food and bring it here so you don’t have to go back in just yet.”

Hermione nodded gratefully. It was during moments like this that she realized just how kind Fred really was. “That sounds lovely, thank you.”

Tipping a pretend hat in her direction, he grinned in his easy way, “At your service.” Then he asked, “What do you fancy?”

“Ummm,” She still felt a little unsettled and not really up to eating much. “I’m not in the mood for anything in particular. Something light, I don’t think I could stomach anything heavy right now. Do you remember the instructions they gave us for ordering?”

“Yeah,” Fred stared off into space with a faraway expression for a moment. “Reminded me of Yule Ball. You looked stunning that night, you know.” Hermione felt her face heat up. _Why was he bringing that up now?_ Smiling at her, he continued as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. “They said to tap the menu with your wand and tell it what you would like. They will magic it to us.”

Alone with her thoughts again, Hermione wandered over to the pool. Not wanting to focus on the negative things any longer, she removed her sandals, dipping her toe in. Finding that it felt refreshing, she took a seat, admiring the beautiful tiles that adorned the edge as she dangled her feet into the cool water. The soothing crash of the waves drew her gaze out to the ledge where the pool seemed to meet the sea. She watched the oblivious Muggles enjoying an evening sail, and those further in the distance, playing on the beach in Santorini. The beautiful view and relaxing sounds were a welcome pleasure. Lost in thought, she didn’t hear Fred return. When he touched her back as he took a seat next to her, she startled, visibly jumping. 

“Sorry,” Fred laughed, “I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you heard me come back.”

Gesturing over toward the table, he told her, “I hope you don’t mind, I got several things for us to share instead of ordering us each an entree.”

Hermione nodded, eagerly, “That’s perfect. Let’s see what you brought for us.”

Fred hopped up quickly, extending a hand down to help her to her feet. She took it, smiling at him in thanks and allowed him to lead her to the table where he had arranged their meal. 

With a searching look, he smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry, when I placed the order, I didn’t think to ask for some extra plates. We’ll have to share everything from the serving dishes, all cozy like.”

“I don’t mind. It seems more relaxed like this. And relaxed is especially good tonight.”

As she sat, Hermione took in the selection that he’d chosen for them. There was a gorgeous plate of plump olives and chunks of cheese, a lovely cold pasta salad with bright chunks of tomato and cucumber, grilled shrimp and vegetables on wooden skewers, and a chilled bottle of white wine. Off to the side, and obviously waiting for them to enjoy for dessert, sat a big platter of fresh fruit and a bottle of Karanika, a local sparkling wine, in a bucket of ice. 

Noticing that Fred appeared to be uncharacteristically nervous — watching her expectantly and visibly fidgeting, Hermione grinned at him. “Wow, you’ve outdone yourself, Mr. Weasley. This is just what I needed.” Realising that it would be easier for them to sit next to each other rather than across the table, she stood and squished in next to him on the padded cushion of the small bench on his side of the table.

In response to his raised eyebrows, she offered him an olive. When he accepted it, she explained, “See, It’s easier to share this way.”

Soon they were caught up in the pleasure of the meal. As the sun began to set, Hermione shivered lightly in the cooling air. This apparently wasn’t missed by the ever-observant Fred. “Cold?” he asked. “Want to go in soon?”

She shook her head. “I really don’t.” Looking around the space, she suggested, “What do you say we go change into swimsuits and then take that fruit and wine over to the hot tub? We can soak while enjoying our dessert and bubbly.”

As she was watching closely for a reaction, she saw him draw in a deep breath, a funny look crossing his face momentarily before grinning at her. “Sure, that sounds like a great way to spend the evening.”

As they headed in to change, Hermione wondered if she had imagined his hesitation. _What could that possibly be about?_ Choosing to put it out of her mind, she grabbed the only swimsuit she’d purchased for this trip and not yet worn. She should have never bought it in the first place but it was so amazing she hadn’t been able to help herself. After she’d arrived, she quickly realized that it was impractical and would leave her with terrible tan lines if she actually wore it in the sun. But it was perfect for an evening dip in the hot tub. The suit was a gorgeous plum color and while it was technically a one-piece, it covered less than most of her bikinis did. The fabric was opaque only in the places that covered the important bits. The rest was made of plum-colored mesh with a few more strips of the opaque fabric artfully connecting the top to the bottom, crisscrossing over her stomach and back. 

She put on the suit and checked herself in the mirror. Sweet Circe, it was more skimpy than she’d remembered. Could she really walk out there wearing this in front of Fred? If she was honest, she did like the way it looked. Most women wouldn’t have stopped to question it at all, but it just wasn’t something she would typically wear.

“Fuck it,” she muttered to herself, making her decision. She liked this swimsuit and she was going to wear it. There wasn’t anyone around except Fred and she was certain that if he noticed anything different, he wouldn’t mind. 

Exiting the bathroom, she briefly considered grabbing a towel to cover herself while walking outside. Deciding that she wasn’t going to allow her silly self-consciousness to win this time, she strode out onto the terrace wearing only the swimsuit. 

Glancing around, she saw that Fred was already in the hot tub. He was faced away from her, looking out toward the sea. As she approached, he turned and she heard his breath catch as his eyes visibly roamed her body. _Why hadn’t she grabbed that towel?_ She thought as he loudly voiced his opinion with a wolf whistle.

“Please don’t take the mickey, Fred. I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought this. I’m tossing it in the bin when we’re done out here.”

Fred’s mouth fell open. “I know that I enjoy a good laugh, but I can assure you that I’m not taking the mickey right now. Don’t ever get rid of that, it would be a crime. You look bloody fantastic.”

She shot him a skeptical look, nervously toying with an errant curl that had sprung free from the bun on top of her head. Shifting from side to side, feeling like she was on display, she simply shook her head. 

“Come here, the water is lovely. I promise not to say another word about your attire. I’ve gotten us both some wine and put the platter of fruit where we can reach it.” Patting the bench that he was sitting on, “Come now, sit next to me. We’re going to sip bubbly, watch the waves, and pretend that we are on a glorious holiday. The bottle is here,” he gestured to where the ice bucket sat waiting. “We could get a bit sloshed if you like.”

Hermione grinned, thankful that Fred seemed to know just what to do to put her at ease. She stepped down and hissed when the hot water rushed over her feet and ankles. “It’s scorching,” she howled, glaring when Fred chuckled. 

“You’ll get used to it and when you do, it feels amazing.”

A snicker escaped as the unexpectedly dirty thought popped into her head — triggered by his perfectly innocent comment. As Fred looked on with a bemused grin, she was seized by a fit of full-on laughter. Clutching at her sides, she lost her balance and slipped, landing with a splash, hitting her bum hard on the bench.

Through her mirth, she tried to explain what was funny, but she couldn’t get it out. Finally, he understood, but instead of laughing along with her, he gave her a look of mock horror, gasping audibly as he covered his mouth with his hands. “Why Hermione, I can’t believe that you would think something like that. Aren’t you supposed to be perfectly sweet and innocent, the ultimate goody-two-shoes?! A good girl.”

Feeling playful, she decided to go with it. She slid closer to Fred on the bench, caressing his arm with a wink. Noting that his eyes had gone comically wide, she raised up on her knees, putting her mouth next to his ear and whispered in a sultry voice, “Who said I wasn’t good? It’s all in the perspective, isn't it?”

Now Fred was staring at her as if he had never seen her before. A wide grin slowly spread across his face as her words sunk in. “Well-well, the Golden girl isn’t quite so golden. Why don’t you let this side of you come out more often?”

Hermione thought for a moment. Shrugging, she answered. “Honestly, there are several factors that come into play. The first, and biggest, is that there can’t be anything serious or necessary that needs my attention. I also need to be completely comfortable around the person or group of people that I’m with. Lastly, it needs to be a super small group. I don’t feel comfortable letting loose like that in front of a bunch of people.”

Fred chuckled. “There’s the swot we all know and love. She’s still in there. I just caught a glimpse!”

Hermione rolled her eyes and splashed water in Fred’s direction. “I’m still me. I can’t completely switch it off. If you’re going to ask me a question like that, of course, I’ll answer analytically. Lecture mode is my safe mode. What can I say? I’m nothing if not predictable.”

Shaking his head, Fred disagreed, “I beg to differ. You certainly surprised me and I already knew about your rule-breaking side. It’s the cheeky little flirt with a dirty mind that I hadn’t had the pleasure of knowing before.” Waggling his eyebrows at her with a sly smile, “Please, now that we’re stuck here, alone for the next few weeks, let this Hermione come out to play. I think I’ll rather enjoy her company,” he winked.

Bumping her shoulder into him, she nodded. “I’m fairly certain I can do that.” Smiling, she reached behind them and grabbed both glasses of the sweet fruity bubbly. “A toast…” she handed one of the glasses to him and they held them up, ready to clink them. “To a fun, relaxing time in quarantine. I don’t think there’s anyone I would rather be trapped with.” 

They spent the next hour chatting amicably while devouring the fruit and finishing the bottle of wine. When Hermione stood, she realized her mistake. Soaking in the steamy water while drinking several glasses of the heady wine after the two glasses she’d had at dinner made her far more impaired than she’d expected. Giggling, she announced, “Woah, that’s gone to my head a bit.” On wobbly legs, she tried and failed to step up onto the bench. 

“Hang on, little lightweight. Sit back down and I’ll help you out.” Fred hopped out of the hot tub easily, reaching down to haul her up. He set her on her feet and grabbed them both a fresh towel out of the cupboard next to the pool. Wrapping it over her shoulders, he put an arm around her waist and began to lead her into the suite. When she stumbled he only laughed and picked her up bridal style to carry her inside. 

Instead of putting her down in the bedroom as she’d expected, he carried her into the bathroom depositing her in the shower, then stepping in behind her still in his swim trunks. Turning on the spray, he proceeded to help her rinse off the chemically treated water that lingered on their skin. 

Without saying a word, he turned off the shower, helped her out and wrapped her in a fresh towel, his cheeky grin returning. “I’m happy to assist you in getting into your pyjamas if you’d like. Though I personally find night clothes optional at best,” he quipped teasingly. 

“I think I can take it from here, but thanks.”

“Anytime, and I do mean that,” Fred told her with a wink.

Shoving him playfully, Hermione summoned her nightwear from her bag and locked herself in the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed. She shucked off the wet swimsuit, dried off clumsily, then shimmied into one of the short silk slips that she preferred to sleep in. She’d packed her nightie without realising that she’d end up sharing a room at some point. In her drunken stupor, she didn’t think twice about strolling into the bedroom where Fred had already changed and gotten into bed.

Her impaired state and the darkened room prevented her from noticing Fred’s intense gaze as it roamed her body or the way he swallowed as if his throat had gone dry. Woefully oblivious and pleasantly buzzed, Hermione boldly crawled onto Fred’s bed. “Thank you for tonight. You really know how to treat a lady. If this had been a date, I can assure you, you’d be getting lucky about now.” Covering her mouth around a yawn and giggling at the fact that she’d said that out loud, she leaned down and kissed his cheek. Well, she’d intended it to be his cheek, but it had landed on the corner of his mouth instead. Giggling again, she settled down and cuddled up to him, close enough to share his pillow. “Freddie?”

“Yes, love?”

“Can I just stay here with you tonight? My bed is all the way over there and it’s cold and lonely. It’s nice and warm here next to you.”

Fred sighed audibly but lifted up the light duvet for her to crawl into and press into his body heat. “Of course you can. Close your eyes and rest now.”


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to my wonderful beta, LadyBlack3!
> 
> This story has now been fully edited. I will be posting a new chapter two or three times each week.

Hermione came awake slowly. Before she even opened her eyes, her hangover registered with a vengeance worthy of a furious hippogriff. Her head pounded and her mouth felt like it was full of cotton wool. Easing one eye open, she immediately clamped it shut again, wishing for blessed darkness. Instead, she was assaulted by the light streaming in from the floor to ceiling windows that looked out onto the terrace. It was a lovely view, but her hungover mind wished it to Hades. 

Groaning, she decided that there was not a single reason she needed to get up, so she would have a rare lie-in. Wriggling a bit, she snuggled into her pillow in an attempt to get more comfortable. That was when her pillow moved, making her freeze and her eyes fly open. Cautiously, she lifted her head and found herself being observed by a very amused, handsomely sleep-tousled Fred Weasley. With growing horror, she realised that she was not only using him as a pillow, but she’d practically wrapped around him like a sodding octopus - one of her legs was draped across his lower body while an arm hugged his midsection.

_ Well fucking splendid! What in Merlin’s name happened last night? How had she come to be intimately wrapped around Fred?  _ She was stuck here with him. It would be terribly awkward if they’d gone and drunkenly shagged on the very first night. 

Worst of all, the traitorous arse was laughing. His entire body shook with silent glee! She waited not-so-patiently until he was calm enough to speak somewhat coherently. “From the look on your face, I can guess that you don’t remember last night at all.”

Shaking her head and regretting the movement immediately, she saw his lip twitch with what was obviously an effort not to succumb to laughter once again. “It’s not funny!” she admonished with a light shove to his shoulder. “Since I can’t remember anything, and my head feels like I’ve been trampled by a herd of hippogriffs, I can deduce that I had too much to drink. What I don’t understand is how I ended up in bed with you.”

“I’m honestly a little hurt that you don’t remember, or that finding yourself in my glorious embrace is so unbelievable,” he whispered, meeting her gaze with an earnest expression. 

Heart dropping into her stomach as her worst fears were confirmed, Hermione felt her eyes grow wide with shock as she stared at the handsome man. Clearly unable to maintain the facade, he began to laugh again until tears were running down his cheeks. Bastard. “You should have seen your face, love”, he gasped.

“Fred Weasley! It is not funny, your glorious embrace, my arse!” she hit his chest with her fist which had absolutely no effect on him at all.“You will tell me this instant what happened last night. I want to know exactly how I ended up in your bed or I will make the next two weeks extremely unpleasant for you. You’ll wish you’d been quarantined alone by the time I’m done.”

“Okay, okay, don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist. Nothing happened, I promise.” Grinning at her in his easy, disarming way, he continued with a shrug. “You drank too much. I helped you inside, then we had a shower.” He paused, waiting until she shot him a look that clearly said he better explain or else. Returning her glare with a smirk, he winked before continuing, “We kept our swimsuits on, of course. I am a gentleman, after all, you shouldn’t expect anything less. I left you in the bathroom to change, came out here, got into bed — alone. A few minutes later, you came out all friendly-like. You climbed up here, told me that your bed was too far away and would be cold and lonely, and asked to stay.”

His expressive eyes twinkled with humour as he lifted his hands, shrugging in a way that clearly implied his innocence. “Being the kind and considerate guy that I am, I couldn’t say no, could I?” 

Hermione drew in a deep breath, realising that she believed him. Not only did she trust him, she knew that any kind of sparkling wine made her super affectionate and beyond uninhibited. Maybe she should swear off it for the next two weeks, though it would be a shame to do that, it was delicious. She would just have to be sure that she limited how much she drank. 

Looking up at him, she said, “Thank you for being a gentleman. I can forgive the bit of fun that you had at my expense knowing that you took care of me last night.”

Fred grinned at her. “You’re welcome. I know you would do the same for me.” Brushing a kiss against her forehead. “What do you say we get some breakfast sent in. I’m starving!” he suggested as he threw back the covers and hopped up.

It was then that Hermione realized what she was wearing. She felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment at her state of undress. Not that she’d had other options. When the weather was warm, she always slept in the silk nighties that she’d purchased at Victoria’s Secret in Oxford. She always made it a priority to stop in there when she went to visit the library. Nice lingerie was her one indulgence. The silk felt decadent against her skin. She owned one in practically every colour. This one, in particular, happened to be a bright turquoise and fit closely at the bodice, flaring gently out over her hips before stopping mid-thigh. 

With no choice, she got out of bed. Feeling very much like she was doing a walk of shame, she stalked over to her trunk, grabbing shorts and a top at random. Making a mad dash for the bathroom, she quickly showered and got herself ready for the day. 

When she was done and feeling much more human, she found Fred looking over the breakfast menu. “I’m going to have a shower. Order for us, yeah? Everything sounds good, so whatever you fancy is fine with me.”

Nodding, she took it from him and ordered an assortment of dishes. The food arrived while Fred was still in the bathroom so she looked around and deciding that outdoors was best, she took everything and set it up on the dining table on the terrace. By the time Fred came out, she had it all ready. She’d gotten them a basket of assorted buns and pastries, fresh fruit, eggs, and tea. She hadn’t known if she would feel up to eating anything, but seeing it all spread out, she was suddenly ravenous. 

As soon as they both began eating, Hermione asked, “When do you suppose we will get responses to our letters?” They had been allowed time to pen quick notes to their friends and families, letting them know what was going on. Owls weren’t allowed in and out of the rooms because they weren’t sure yet just how this illness was spread. It wasn’t known if the owl could transfer the disease to an uninfected person. Because of this, they were collecting all correspondence, having it decontaminated, and then sent out. When responses were received, the decontamination process would be repeated and the letters finally delivered magically by the house elves who worked at the hotel. 

Fred shrugged. “It sounded like everyone would likely hear from The Prophet before they got our letters.”

As soon as the word ‘Prophet’ left Fred’s mouth, a copy of the paper in question appeared on the table in front of them, making Fred jump and knock over his chair as Hermione gasped loudly, covering her mouth in shock.

Once the surprise wore off, they both began to laugh. Hermione grabbed the paper before speaking. “I wonder if that works for anything that we want, or if they’ve charmed the rooms to recognize specific things that they think we may ask for?”

Fred grinned, “Let’s try it out, shall we?”

Hermione hesitated, frowning slightly as she considered. “I don’t know. What if we’re sending some poor unsuspecting house elf off to find everything we want?”

Looking very much like he wanted to argue, or at the very least roll his eyes, Fred pressed his lips together slightly before nodding. “Okay, we will read the paper for now, then discuss it. Honestly, I think it’s most likely to be a charm for our convenience and will only be triggered by certain words, but I do understand and respect your concern.”

Reaching across the table to touch his arm, Hermione wanted to show him how much she appreciated his willingness to respect her wishes. Meeting his eye, she simply told him, “Thank you.” And yet a part of her felt a little guilty at how easily he’d backed down at her request. What would it hurt, really? Quietly, she said, “Maybe, just one little thing. I know you’re curious.”

“Really?” Fred asked, practically bouncing in his seat.

It was at this moment that Hermione realised that compromising had made her happy too. She was thrilled to see him so excited, but it also made her feel good about herself. “Really,” she smiled.

Fred appeared to be considering his options. “Ooh, I have it!” With a wink that made her stomach flip, he loudly requested, “ _ Hogwarts, A History _ .”

As she waited to see if the volume would indeed appear, Hermione tried not to think about how she reacted to Fred and what it meant. But as she watched the excitement radiate off of the attractive man, all she could think was…  _ I am in so much trouble. _

When nothing appeared, Fred grabbed the paper and came around to share her bench, as she had done the evening before. He turned and kissed her softly on the cheek, “Thank you.” before settling in next to her and opening the publication across both of their laps. They didn’t have to look very hard to spot it as it was right there on the front page.

**_Beloved War Heroine and Local Businessman Quarantined in Greece_ **

_ Disturbing news broke yesterday evening from our friends in Greece. A participant of the Experimental Charms and Potions Convention, held at the Magicos Resort has been diagnosed with a new strain of Dragon Pox. The healers who treated the unidentified man have said that they’ve never seen anything like this before. We’ve learned that at the time the conference made the decision to quarantine all participants, two Portkey attendants, three members of the hotel’s staff, and four conference attendees had all begun to exhibit symptoms.  _

_ The speed in which this has spread and the obvious fact that it is highly contagious is alarming. What’s even more concerning is that we’ve discovered that two of our own are among those being isolated at the resort — One-third of the Golden Trio, the illustrious Hermione Granger, and entrepreneur and business owner Fred Weasley. As we do not know the identities of any of those infected, we are unsure if Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley are well. Our attempts to get any information from the hotel staff or the Grecian Ministry have been blocked. _

_ Our thoughts are with Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and everyone else who has been affected by this illness. We will provide updates as we receive new information.  _

Hermione read the article twice before glancing over to make sure that Fred was finished reading. He was staring out at the sea, a faraway expression on his face. Taking that as a sign that he was done, she folded the paper and placed it on the table. Gently touching his shoulder, she waited until he met her gaze before asking, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I am. It’s just that I’m worried. It sounds worse than they made it seem when they talked to us before locking us in here. What if it spread around to other places and we don’t know it yet? We can’t do anything to warn our friends and family. We don’t even know where this thing came from. I just feel so helpless being stuck here while they are all back at home,” he admitted softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Nodding in agreement, Hermione wordlessly slipped her hand into his. She wanted to offer comfort but had no idea how to do that as she was feeling the same way as Fred. On impulse, she stood, removing her hand from his before leaning down to wrap him in a hug. Pulled forward by Fred’s unexpectedly enthusiastic response, she found herself perched awkwardly on her knees in his lap. 

Without loosening his hold on her, Fred shifted her weight so that she was sitting on his thigh, his arm wrapped snugly around her body. Not knowing what else to do, and secretly enjoying the feel of his embrace, Hermione rested her head on his chest. He only sighed in response, moving his other arm to pull her in more snugly as he turned his head so that his chin rested against the top of her head. 

Hermione’s stomach fluttered pleasantly. _ There was that inconvenient feeling again. _ She wanted to melt into him. Why was she suddenly reacting to Fred this way? He’d hugged her before, and it had always felt nice, but being held in his lap like this was something else… something more familiar, intimate.  _ What prompted him to pull her onto his lap like that?  _ She wasn’t certain how she was supposed to feel. 

Deciding to ignore her conflicted emotions and just chalk it up to the fact that he needed a comforting touch at the moment, Hermione finally spoke. “I agree that it feels awful being completely cut off from everyone, but there isn’t anything we can do about that at the moment. No one back at home would want us to beat ourselves up over something that is out of our control. They’ve all been through much worse, and they are all smart enough to understand the implications of what was in the paper this morning. We have to trust them to make the right decisions and take care of each other until we can get back to them.”

Fred was silent for a moment, tightening his grip on her slightly before relaxing and murmuring, “Thank you. Sometimes hearing you say something I already know helps.” Pulling away slightly, he looked her in the eye before adding, “I’m really happy that we’re here together. I would be going barmy if I had to do this alone.”

Before she could stop to consider why she was doing it, Hermione leaned up and brushed a kiss against Fred’s cheek. “I’m really glad that we’re here together too. Now,” She said, sitting up slightly and smiling at him, “what would you like to do today?”

Looking thoughtful, Fred asked, “Have you really explored the suite to see what we have at our disposal? I’ll admit that I didn’t really look around mine the entire week. The resort was too nice to stay in the room.”

Hermione nodded, “I did have a peek. Not that I had an opportunity to use any of it either, but I did explore my options. Let’s see, there’s a television and a music player that both work in a similar fashion to the food menu. You only need to tap and tell them what you would like to watch or listen to. You don’t have to pick a specific film or song, just the genre I think. There’s also a cupboard with some Muggle board games, jigsaw puzzles, and a few novels too. And of course, this,” she gestured with an arm out over the terrace toward the lovely pool and hot tub.

She hesitated, unsure how Fred would take her next suggestion. He must have sensed her uncertainty, because he smiled at her, “We have nothing, but time. If you have an idea, I’m willing to hear it.”

“Well… I just thought that It might be nice to have a schedule, a routine of sorts. Nothing as strict as school or work, just something that would give us structure. If we just lay around like a couple of lazy bums, it’ll only make the time drag.” Looking down at her hands, not wanting to know if he thought her idea was awful, Hermione waited for him to say something.

“I think that’s a brilliant idea.”

Hermione lifted her gaze to eye him skeptically. “Really?” She’d prepared herself for his reaction to be more like what Harry and Ron’s had been when they were in school. She’d been sure that he would at least take the piss.

“Yes, really. Grab us that notebook that I know you keep in your bag and we’ll brainstorm together, make a list of what we think our day should look like.”

Hermione went inside the suite to get the notebook and a few of her favored Muggle pens. When she returned, Fred had cleared up their mess and had a fresh pot of tea ready for them. 

Smiling appreciatively, she sat, passing him a pen and a stack of paper torn from the notebook. “I think we should each create a list of what the day should look like and then discuss them together.”

Fred rolled his eyes at her good-naturedly, “I don’t think that’s necessary, but if it makes you feel more comfortable, sure.”

Hermione decided not to answer, she just got to work on her list. After a few minutes, she looked up to find Fred watching her. “Done?” she asked and at his nod handed over her list. “Great, let’s switch then.”

Quickly skimming his list, she was pleasantly surprised to find that his thoughts were quite in sync with hers. Reaching for the notebook, she turned to a fresh page and wrote.

**_Fred and Hermione’s Daily Schedule_ **

_ Breakfast _

_ Work on new ideas for the shop _

_ Lunch _

_ Swimming _

_ Rest/games/puzzles _

_ Dinner _

_ Hot Tub _

_ Movies _

_ Bed _

She passed Fred the list, waiting for his approval. “You didn’t include the reading time that you had on your list,” he pointed out with a little frown between his brows.

“I can do that anytime though,” she pointed out with a shrug. “If I want a break from swimming, I can read on one of the deck chairs. If I'm not sleepy after we watch a movie, I can read in bed as I would anyway at home. There honestly weren't many books that seemed interesting. I brought some with me, of course, but nothing that I’m desperate to read right away.”

In silent agreement, they retrieved their inventing notes and worked for the remainder of the morning. They spent time on individual projects and collaborated when one of them was stumped on an idea. Being able to work outdoors where there was an abundance of sun and a nice warm breeze had a calming effect on both Fred and Hermione. By the time they were ready for lunch, they both felt considerably better, and tea made way for fresh juice and fruit to pick on. 

Later that afternoon, after a few wonderful hours spent swimming and relaxing in the sun, they were back inside with a jigsaw puzzle spread over the table in the kitchen nook. Hermione adored puzzles and though Fred had never seen one before, he was enjoying the concept very much. “You know, we could make some of these. Do you think they would work with wizarding photos though?”

Hermione shook her head, “No, they would have to be made with still photos. Moving ones would be near impossible to put together. Although...” she thought for a moment, “ I think we could develop a spell that would make the photo move again once the puzzle is complete. What do you think?”

“That’s brilliant! Yes, that’s exactly what we should do! Think we could have a prototype complete before we go home?”

Before Hermione could answer, they heard a knock at their door and something was slipped underneath the solid wood. She exchanged a confused look with Fred before getting up to retrieve the item. Bringing it back to the table where Fred was waiting with an expectant look, she sat and opened what they could now see was some sort of flyer.

Inside, they found all known information about the new strain of Dragon Pox. In large red letters at the top was an important note…

**_DO NOT USE MAGIC._ ** _ It has been discovered that this virus can deplete your magical core. Patients who have used less magic in the days leading up to the onset of their symptoms are experiencing a much less severe course of illness than those who have heavily used magic. Resort guests can still safely utilize the ordering system for food, beverages, television, and music. Using your wand simply activates these services; an existing charm is in place to perform the magic.  _

The pamphlet went on to describe the symptoms, home treatments for the less severe cases, and when to seek medical help. The hotel had also tacked on an extra page that was specifically for those quarantined there. It let them know that the cupboard to the left of the sink in the kitchen was now stocked with potions and ointments that they could use in the event of infection. They were reassured that they were all being remotely monitored for symptoms and someone would check on them if they became ill. 

Hermione glanced over at Fred with a sigh. “Well, I guess that answers your question about creating a prototype.” She watched with concern as he seemed to sit in stunned silence for a moment too long, processing the new information. Growing up without magic, Hermione was certain that she would find it easier to avoid using it than he would. 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Fred said tightly. 

“Are you alright?” Hermione asked, seeing the way he gripped the table, her concern grew. 

“Just need some air,” he stood abruptly and just as she’d done the day before, fled outside. 

Understanding completely now, just as the finality of the closing door had triggered her, Fred was having a difficult time being restricted from using magic. It had always been an intrinsic part of him and she could certainly sympathize with that. 

Giving him a moment alone, she decided that the best course of action was to repeat what he’d done for her. Taking a glass from the cupboard, she ran cool water from the tap before going out on the terrace to join him. She found him standing next to the pool gazing out over the sea as the gulls called and the breeze tousled his hair.

She approached cautiously, not wanting to startle him. “Fred,” she called softly. “I brought you some water.”

He turned to look at her sheepishly. “Thanks. I...I’m really sorry about that…”

She just shook her head to stop his apologies. “You don’t need to explain. I was worse yesterday when they locked us in,” she reassured him as she gently rubbed the spot between his shoulder-blades that George soothed when he saw his twin agitated, hoping the familiar touch would be of comfort. “This situation is insane, it would get to anyone. Those of us who have been through war and already have our — well, we’ll just call them issues, can’t be expected to adapt to all of this without some sense of fear and panic.”

Leaving Fred to sip his water, Hermione moved a pair of deck chairs over to where he was standing. Together, they sat watching the waves until the sun began to dip low in the sky. 

“Shall I run inside and order dinner this evening?” Hermione asked.

Fred nodded, “Yes, please. I’m feeling much better, but I think I would prefer to stay here for now.”

When Hermione returned with the food, they moved to the table, chatting amicably through the meal. She stuck to only one glass of wine and hadn’t ordered a bottle of champagne or any dessert at all for the moment. Once they’d both eaten their fill, she turned to Fred. “Fancy dessert or a drink?”

“I would love something sweet, and then a bottle of Firewhisky would be amazing to sip in the hot tub.”

Hermione raised her eyebrows but withheld judgment. “I’ll go fetch that, you change into your suit and come back out.”

She returned a short while later, wearing her swimsuit and carrying the bottle of liquor and a large slice of chocolate cake. Setting both in front of Fred, she jogged back inside to retrieve her drink, a frothy pina colada, and a glass for the Firewhisky.

Sitting down at the table, she glanced toward the cake which Fred had already dug into eagerly and asked, “Going to share that?” 

He winked at her and offered a bite from his spoon with an expression that very clearly dared her to take it. Deciding that surprising him would be a good way to get rid of any leftover difficult feelings from that afternoon. Hermione raised her brow teasingly before moving around the table to sit in his lap, taking the bite as she perched on his leg. 

Glancing up to meet Fred’s gaze, she found him watching her with his lips parted in astonishment. Smirking, she pushed up gently on his chin, and deadpanned, “Try not to catch flies, dear.”

Fred burst into laughter. When he’d calmed a bit, he looked at Hermione with an expression that she found impossible to decipher. Endeavoring to figure it out, she studied his face carefully. As she watched, his eyes dropped to her lips for just an instant before he met her gaze. Lifting a hand he brushed a curl behind her ear, making her breath catch. Her heart began to flutter in excited anticipation as she noticed him shifting forward, only to sink when his lips only brushed her cheek.

In an attempt to disguise feelings that she didn’t understand, Hermione quickly ran a finger through the frosting on the cake before smearing it on Fred’s nose. Hoping to avoid retaliation, she hopped up and ran, laughing as she fled. 

She realised her mistake when Fred didn't pursue her right away. He took his time, slowly standing and striding purposefully in her direction. Looking for an escape, she saw that she’d trapped herself between the pool and the wall. 

_ Bugger! _ She tried to run around the other side, but Fred quickly caught her and grabbed her from behind, easily lifting her up with one arm around her waist. The other hand came up to her face rubbing the cake that he held all over her mouth and cheeks. 

As she sputtered and gasped, he leaned forward and licked the frosting off with long, sensual swipes of his tongue. The sensation of his tongue gliding along her cheek sent an electric shock straight to her core. Moisture pooled between her thighs and she wondered how on earth she would get through the next couple of weeks alone with him without doing something she would regret. 

Before she could even consider what to do next, Fred picked her up again and tossed her into the now freezing pool. When she surfaced, she sputtered before yelling, “Fred Weasley, you bloody prat, don’t forget that you have to sleep sometime.”

Fred threw his head back, cackling in triumph before he stuck a hand out silently, offering to pull her up. She took it and yanked with all her might, hoping to pull him down with her, but found herself being easily hauled out of the water. When she glared at him, he chuckled. “You don’t weigh nearly enough to manage that little trick.”

In response to her indigent huff, he wrapped her in a hug, running his hands up and down her arms when she shivered. “Come on, I wasn’t really trying to freeze you, let’s get you into the hot water, I’ll grab the drinks.”

They settled into the soothing water and Hermione sipped her delicious cocktail while Fred consumed several glasses of the Firewhisky. When she saw him move to pour a fourth glass, she stopped him. “I can’t carry you if you’re trolleyed and unable to walk.”

He shook his head at her saying, “You’re a party pooper,” blowing a raspberry at her. Despite the antics, he didn’t have any more to drink. Not long after, Hermione realized that they’d been soaking more than an hour, and it was getting late. 

“We should probably get inside and shower off. Do you still fancy watching a film?”

After helping Fred inside and deciding to repeat his action of the previous evening, she got them both in the shower to rinse off while still wearing their swimsuits. With a deep sigh, she remembered that her hair had been soaked in the pool, so she grabbed the shampoo and quickly began to work the lather through her voluminous curls. 

Fred grabbed her hands, wobbling only a little. “Can I do that? I’ve always wanted to get my hands into your hair.” He murmured, his lips nearly touching her ear. Unable to speak, she nodded, dropping her arms to her sides as he began massaging her scalp, working the suds through her locks. 

The situation would have been quite humorous if it hadn’t been for the tiny issue that having his hands on her like that made her want to jump him right there in the shower. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and gently pushed his hands off. “I think it’s clean now. Let’s rinse off and get out.”

While Fred changed in the bedroom and got into bed, she considered her choices of sleepwear as she applied her leave-in conditioner and painstakingly dried her hair with the muggle hairdryer, careful to keep it on a low setting to not upset the beast into getting frizzy on her. Transfiguring something was no longer an option with the limitation on their magic use. She could sleep in shorts and a tee, but she knew that she wouldn’t be comfortable. She grabbed one of the silk nighties that she preferred with a sigh, reasoning that Fred had already seen one. What did it matter now?

As she entered the bedroom, Fred threw back the covers, inviting her to climb in with him. “My bed is closer to the television. Pick out a film and come in with me to watch.”

She wondered just how pissed he was. He’d only slurred a little when saying all of that, but he had been terribly unsteady when she’d tried to get him inside and yet not so much in the shower. Deciding that it didn’t really matter and that she really did want to spend more time next to him — no matter how dangerous, she nodded in agreement.

Quickly taking care of the television, she settled into the bed with Fred. She’d chosen a childhood favorite,  _ The Parent Trap _ . It had been a long time since she’d watched it and it seemed like a safe choice. She hadn’t wanted anything overly romantic or sexual because of how she’d been feeling. Unfortunately, she hadn’t factored in Fred being a twin when choosing the film. 

Soon after it started, he began to ask loads of questions. Tapping her on the shoulder, he whined, “Are they twins? Why don’t they know each other? What happened?”

Hermione chuckled, “You’ll find out soon enough, just keep watching.”

When the pranks began, he perked up a bit. Pointing at the television, he exclaimed, “That’s brilliant. If they would just work together, they would get more accomplished. They could be like Georgie and me!” He was silent for a moment before asking in an almost whiny voice, “Why don’t they know each other? Clearly they’re twins. They look alike.”

Noticing that he was becoming a bit agitated, Hermione worried that this had been a bad choice. She hadn’t considered that it would upset him so much. Touching his cheek gently, she encouraged him to meet her eyes. When he did, she gently said, “I promise, it will make sense in a few minutes, you just have to be patient.” 

As soon as the truth of what happened to separate them was revealed, Fred became enraged. “How could they do that? It’s just horrible!”

Needing to comfort him, Hermione took his hand in both of hers and rubbed soothing patterns across his knuckles and up his freckled arm. 

When it ended, she looked over at him and saw that he was a bit weepy. His eyes were glistening and there was a single tear running down his cheek. Reaching over, she wiped away the tear before wrapping him in a hug, resting her head on his chest. “What’s wrong, Fred?”

He whispered so quietly that Hermione had to raise her head up to hear his response. “I miss Georgie. Those parents were awful! How could they ever think that separating twins like that was a good idea? Twins… they need each other. The thought of being permanently separated from George is the worst thing I can imagine.” His voice broke then, and he stared ahead blankly. Hermione felt a knot forming in the pit of her stomach as she wondered if he was thinking about the war, and what had nearly happened.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think when I picked out that movie. I feel awful for upsetting you. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

In a small voice that didn’t seem as if it should belong to Fred Weasley, he pleaded, “Stay... please. I don’t want to be alone. I need cuddles.”

Knowing that she was making a mistake, Hermione conceded. After getting up to turn off the television, and the lights, she snuggled in close to him, allowing him to wrap an arm around her waist. She felt him shift, and he murmured in her ear. “You’re pretty,” then after loudly inhaling, he continued, “and you smell nice.” Sighing audibly, he added, “I think I could get used to this.” As if that wasn’t enough, he began to bloody pet her, rubbing his hand up and down the length of her side. Stilling his movements briefly, he pinched the silk of her nightie between his fingers. “I like this. It feels amazing and looks bloody sexy on you.”

She lay perfectly still, wanting nothing more than to turn and snog him senseless, but knowing that he was drunk and likely didn't know what he was saying, she couldn’t go through with it. It would be far worse for him to not remember it in the morning, or remember and wish that it hadn’t happened.  _ No, it was better to silently endure this lovely torture _ , she thought to herself as she tried to calm the fluttering of her heart and slow her breathing _. _

Fred’s movements slowed and she hoped he was falling asleep. She knew that it would be a long night for her and briefly allowed herself to wonder if Fred had suffered the previous night when she’d been the pissed, overly affectionate one. Pushing the thought out of her mind, she realised that he’d grown still. Thinking he was finally asleep, she tried to shift away a little. As soon as she moved slightly, his arm tightened around her, pulling her closer, her bum pressed firmly against his hips. She felt her hair being moved and froze when a pair of soft lips made contact with her neck, precisely where it met the base of her skull. Biting her lip to prevent herself from moaning aloud, her mind raced,  _ what on earth was she supposed to do? _

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Fred’s breathing evened out. Hermione, however, lay awake for a long time after, the evening’s events running before her eyes every time she tried to close them. 


	4. Chapter Three

Waking the next morning still wrapped in a pair of strong arms, Hermione wriggled a bit, trying to sneak out of the bed before he awoke. She halted her efforts immediately when her bum brushed intimately against Fred’s very hard, very male length. Not knowing what to do, she froze, hoping that she hadn’t woken him. When he didn’t stir, she decided that the best course of action would be to feign sleep. Forcing herself to relax, she lay perfectly still, keeping her breathing as even as possible. She knew that having a morning erection was a perfectly normal biological reaction, but she was having a difficult time controlling how that intimate contact had made her feel. 

She’d begun to drift again when she felt him begin to ease away from her. Before his weight left the bed, long fingers carded through her hair, stroking gently before placing a light kiss against her shoulder. Her mind whirled as her heart stuttered. Not wanting Fred to realise that she was awake, she fought to remain still while she felt his eyes on her. As soon as she heard the bathroom door close and the shower came on, she flipped on her back, staring up at the ceiling. What was she supposed to do?  _ Could Fred really have feelings for her?  _ He must, given his behavior. 

_ The real question was, were his feelings the result of them being trapped alone together? What about hers? Was she suddenly interested in him out of convenience, or was it the real thing?  _ She couldn’t be sure, and she wouldn’t act on anything until she was certain. The risk to their friendship was too great to take it lightly. 

When Fred was done in the bathroom, she smiled brightly at him, ignoring the flutter in her belly. “Good morning! I’ll admit that I’m surprised and a little impressed that you’re awake before me, and looking as if you aren’t worse for the wear. You were more than just a little pissed last night. I was certain that you would feel awful this morning.”

He grinned back at her, shaking his head. “Nope. I feel great! Not hungover in the least. I did have some strange dreams, or I think they were dreams.” He bumped her with his hip and shooed her in the direction of the bathroom. “Go, get yourself dressed. I’m starving. I’ll have breakfast waiting when you’re done.”

Once they’d eaten and were sipping their second cups of tea, Fred requested The Prophet. When it popped into his hand, Hermione was already moving around the table to read with him. She’d wondered if they would be mentioned again, and she was curious to hear of any news on the outbreak that she could get.

**_Source of Dragon Pox Mutation Identified_ **

_ Ministry officials tell us that the source of the new version of Dragon Pox has been identified as a researcher living at the Swedish Dragon Reserve. The wizard, identified as Lars Johansson, had been involved in a study to investigate further uses for dragon blood. Other members of his team have divulged that he was determined to make a breakthrough. He’d begun to take serious risks in the hopes of making a major discovery. His latest risk proved fatal to him, and potentially devastating to the wizarding world. Mr. Johansson, it seems, had been injecting himself with live forms of various viruses. When he developed symptoms, he would then inject himself with dragon blood in hopes that he would be cured. While none of his previous experiments had been successful, none had been devastating either. Unfortunately, his testing involving the known strain of Dragon Pox proved fatal as the injected Dragon’s blood caused the virus to adapt by mutating.  _

_ This mutation spread rapidly through the Swedish Dragon Reserve, infecting more than half of employees present at the time. Before any symptoms appeared and the virus could be contained, one of the assistant researchers from Mr. Johansson’s team left for the conference in Greece. It is unclear at this time whether others who were potentially infectious left the reserve as well.  _

_ Unfortunately, the current cure for Dragon Pox has proven to have little effect in eradicating the new strain, which is now being labeled ‘Swedish Dragon Pox’.  _

_ A pamphlet from the Ministry of Magic will be distributed to all magical households today. Instructions on what to do to keep your family safe, the symptoms of Swedish Dragon Pox, and what you should do if you develop symptoms will be included in the publication.  _

Fred and Hermione exchanged a silent look before returning their attention to the newspaper. It hadn’t escaped their notice that there was a second story below this one.

  
  


**_Friends and Family of Hermione Granger and Fred Weasley Demand Answers_ **

_ We spoke with Mr. George Weasley, twin brother and business partner of Fred Weasley, and friend and business associate of Hermione Granger. Mr. Weasley tells us that he has been attempting to get answers about the health of Fred and Hermione to no avail. He attempted to fire call their resort and was told that guests were not allowed to leave their rooms and that there is no Floo access in the individual rooms currently permitted. The hotel management informed Mr. Weasley that the guests had all written to their loved ones prior to being quarantined and these letters were in the process of being decontaminated and should arrive in a few days. Mr. Weasley was rightfully upset by the lack of communication during this unprecedented time. When asked if there was a message that he would like to send to Fred and Hermione in case they had access to The Prophet, George had this response. “We love you and miss you. Stay well, and take care of each other. We can’t wait until you can come home.” _

As soon as they finished reading, Hermione turned to look at Fred’s stricken face. “Right, I know you miss him and the rest of your family. I miss them too. But, we can’t let this get us down.” Placing a hand on his arm, she smiled softly at him. “I’m sorry. You have every right to be sad. I just don't want you to feel so upset when we have eleven more days of this to go.”

He smiled sadly before grabbing her hand and bringing it up to his lips, pressing a light kiss to the soft skin of the inside of her wrist. She tried and failed not to react when a shiver went down her spine. Refusing to make eye contact with Fred, she saw his smirk out of the corner of her eye and wished again that she understood what she was feeling. Before she could process anything more, Fred was speaking. “I know that you don’t want me to be upset. Maybe you could come up with a way to distract me, yeah?”

Pushing at a curl that had popped out of her bun and fallen into her eyes, she asked warily, “What kind of a distraction?

He grinned, “Work of course. Inventing is on the schedule for right now, isn’t it?”

Nodding slowly, still a little suspicious of his apparent excitement, she agreed. “It is, yes.”

“Hang on, let me just grab something.” With that, he darted toward the suite door, glancing back at her, he must have seen the confused look on her face because he grinned, holding a hand up. “Wait, wait just a moment. I’ll be right back.” A few seconds later, he came jogging back holding a corked bottle in his hand. 

When he made it to the table where Hermione had sat back in her chair, he held the bottle out for her to take. “What’s this?” She asked, uncorking the bottle carefully and sniffing suspiciously. Peering inside, she saw that there was some sort of pale yellow cream. 

Fred extended his hands toward the item as if he were some model showing off a prize on the television game shows that Hermione had enjoyed as a child. “Behold, the latest product in our Wonder Witch line… Well, I hope it will be at least. It’s a smoothing and relaxing cream for hair. Try it.”

Hermione eyed the hair product uncertainty. “Fred, are you quite certain that this is safe? We don’t have any way to go to the hospital or get help if something goes wrong. I’m not sure that using an experimental hair product is the smartest choice right now.”

Putting on an exaggerated wounded expression, and both hands over his heart as if to say, _ ‘who, me? _ ’ He assured her, “I know that I can be reckless, but I would never do anything to put you in danger. George and I have tested it extensively. We even traded it for the conditioner in Harry and Ginny’s shower. The only thing we haven’t done is test it on someone who has curly hair. I brought it with me with the intention of asking you to try it earlier in the week, but with everything going on, it just slipped my mind.”

Not at all convinced, Hermione got up and went into the bathroom to use the mirror. Taking down her bun, she began working the cream through her tresses. Pleased with the pleasant scent, she leaned down to rinse her hands in the basin. Before she could turn off the tap, a strand of hair fell into her periphery, and she shrieked, “Fred Weasley! Get your arse in here this instant!”

Fred ran in, “What’s wrong?” trailing off and laughing uproariously when he saw her. When he caught his breath, he pointed, “Look, it’s getting better already.”

Barely glancing in the mirror, she started to tell Fred off again when she caught sight of her reflection and did a double-take.“What the—?” She asked in astonishment, transfixed by the sight. Her hair, which had turned a bright Weasley red immediately after applying the hair product, was now transformed. What had been a crazy mass of curls sticking out every which way was now a sleek cascade of loose waves with only the barest hint of auburn left to show that it had ever been red, and that was fading before her very eyes. 

Looking apologetic, Fred ran his hand over her now smooth hair. “I’m sorry, love. I honestly didn’t know it would do that.” He murmured, gesturing to his own head, “That’s one hazard of only testing on Weasleys. We can’t tell the difference if it turns our hair red.” Chuckling a bit, he went on, “I guess that means that Harry never uses the conditioner in the Potter shower. If he does, he hasn’t said a word.”

After admiring her new do a little more, Hermione turned and considered Fred’s locks. Reaching up, she ran a hand over his head, asking, “What exactly did this do to your hair? It’s already soft and smooth. Not to mention, it’s short now.” 

Shortly after Fred healed from his injuries at the final battle, he and George decided that they no longer cared that they didn’t look the same. George had lost his ear, and Fred had a small scar on the side of his face that was a souvenir from the wall that nearly took his life. After announcing to everyone that they were proud of their battle scars and wanted to show them off to the world, they’d allowed their mum to cut their hair short, much to her delight. 

“Would you like to find out what it did?” Fred asked. At her answering nod, he squatted down, gesturing for her to apply the cream to his hair. 

Rolling her eyes, Hermione huffed lightly before turning to face Fred once more. “You just want me to play with your hair,” she tutted, one hand sassily positioned on her hip.

He looked up to meet her gaze, eyes twinkling with amusement and the promise of fun, “What if I do? What do you plan to do about it?”

Unexpected heat bloomed in her belly. Wanting to cover how flustered she suddenly felt, she grabbed the bottle and upended it over Fred’s head, shaking out some of the contents before using her fingers to work it through the strands. 

She watched closely, waiting to see if anything happened. When his hair was smooth as glass, but the same Weasley red, she couldn’t resist sinking her hands back in to see if it was as silky as it looked. 

Noticing that he’d raised an eyebrow and was watching her with interest, she smirked and told him, “You’re lucky you were telling the truth about nothing happening to the Weasley testers. Retaliation would have been necessary otherwise.”

xXx

Their afternoon and evening had been uneventful. Night had fallen, and once again, they were enjoying the soothing waters in the hot tub. After both having a turn to be intoxicated, they’d decided to take a break from the alcohol. 

Fred moved closer on their shared bench, his expression full of mischief. “What are you doing?” she asked suspiciously, not at all comforted by the cheeky glint in his eyes. 

He only grinned and shot a question back in her direction. “I was just wondering how exactly you’d planned on getting me back if that potion had turned my hair a strange color. Care to enlighten me?”

As she shook her head, he inched even closer. She tried to move away, knowing that he was up to something. Desperately looking for an escape, she glanced over her shoulder. That split second was all Fred had needed. Suddenly, she found herself pinned to the wall of the hot tub being tickled mercilessly.

“Fred…” She gasped out between uncontrollable giggles. “Please… Please stop.”

Giving her an evil grin, he pressed her closer to the wall, trapping her against his larger frame. “I’ll stop if you promise not to threaten retaliation against me for future pranks.”

Unable to speak at this point, Hermione could only furiously shake her head. She could feel tears starting to roll down her cheeks from laughing so hard. He finally relented but didn’t move back to give her space. Wriggling a bit, attempting to get out of his grasp, she brushed up against his front and realized that he was very aroused. She went still, moving away from the contact. Finally, daring to meet his gaze, she found him watching her through eyes darkened with desire. He moved a hand from where he’d been tickling her waist, up to her shoulder. Tightening his hold where his other hand still rested against her back, he drew her closer as his head began to lower. 

She panicked. This wasn’t supposed to be happening! She needed time to work out how she felt, figure out if his flirtations were based on convenience or actual feelings. No, as much as she wanted to lift her face and allow him to snog her senseless, she couldn’t. She pulled away without saying anything, and after hauling herself out of the water, she ran blindly until she reached the bathroom. Locking herself in, she sank to the floor and let the tears fall. 

Hermione had seen the sadness and confusion on Fred’s face as she pulled away.  _ What had she done? _ Feeling more conflicted than ever, and not ready to face Fred, she turned on the shower, allowing the water to heat up before stepping in. 

She tried to sort through and process what she was feeling, but all her brain was continually assaulted by the images of what could have happened if she’d allowed Fred to kiss her. The still-fresh memory of his touch caused her skin to tingle, making it easy to imagine more. Soon she was running her soapy hands over her body, imagining Fred’s firm passionate grip and smoothing touch instead. 

Panting, she rolled her nipples between her fingertips before taking down the handheld showerhead. Experimenting with the settings, she settled on the one labeled  _ pulsing massage.  _ Sitting down on the tile bench in the corner, she spread her legs and aimed the stream of water at her throbbing clit. Closing her eyes, she imagined that it was Fred’s tongue pleasuring her and moaned aloud at the thought. 

Close to a much-needed release but needing more, she sank two fingers inside her quivering core. She imagined Fred touching her with those long, callused fingers, tasting her hungrily and looking up at her with those dark, impassioned eyes until she cried out with pleasure from the intense orgasm. When logical thought returned, she remembered that there had been nothing to keep Fred from hearing her if he had come inside. 

She replaced the showerhead on the hook and quickly finished her shower. Instead of feeling relaxed, she felt uneasy and terribly lonely. Not sure if she was ready to face Fred, but knowing that they would have to talk about this eventually, she dried off. Realising that in her rush, she’d forgotten to bring clothing into the bathroom, she slipped out wrapped only in a towel, hoping that Fred was still outside. 

He wasn’t, but she needn't worry about speaking to him that night. He’d already gotten into bed and was facing away from the bathroom. She quickly grabbed her nightclothes and returned to the bathroom to slip them on. When she was done, she went into the bedroom, miserably slipping into her own bed for the first time since they’d been stuck together. Closing her eyes, she lay still, willing sleep to come. 

It wasn’t long before she heard rustling from Fred’s bed. Not daring to open her eyes, she listened as the bathroom door closed and the shower came on. Soon, she was sure that Fred had been able to hear her because she heard similar sounds coming from him. Mortified, but her body once again throbbing with need, sleep was evasive for many hours after Fred had returned to his bed.


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I need to hide once I post this chapter. I'm sorry! I promise it will get better soon!
> 
> Thanks for all of the lovely comments! I truly appreciate every one of them.

Waking after a fitful night, Hermione sat up slowly. With a glance at the other bed, she saw that Fred was still sleeping. Knowing that his sleep had likely been as awful as hers, she left him there, quietly slipping from the room. 

She dressed quickly, tiptoeing to the small kitchen where she ordered enough food for both of them. After peeking into the bedroom where Fred was still not stirring, she took the breakfast tray outside and nibbled on toast and fruit while sipping tea. When she’d finished her second cup she began to get worried.

Checking the time, she saw that it was already after ten. With an unexplainable knot of fear settling in the pit of her stomach, she crept to his bed and pulled back the covers. A gasp escaped her mouth and tears sprung to her eyes at the sight of Fred’s sickly green pallor and the telltale purple spots dotting his visage. “No! No!” she wailed aloud.  _ This couldn’t be happening!  _ Reaching out, she placed the back of her hand gently on Fred’s temple. Finding him to be as hot as she feared, she rushed to the cupboard where they’d been told potions and ointments would be stored.

Opening the cupboard door, she found a good stock of tiny bottles and tubes, along with a muggle thermometer and a sheet of instructions detailing how to use them. Reading quickly but carefully, not wanting to make a mistake when Fred’s health was in danger, she found that the steps were laid out clearly. First, before any interventions, she would need to determine how high his temperature was. Quickly inspecting the thermometer, she saw that it was an old fashioned mercury thermometer. She shook it down before positioning it under Fred’s arm and waiting for the required three minutes. When she checked it, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was thirty-nine degrees celsius. The instructions specified that it was imperative to begin treatment before the patient’s temperature reached forty. If it was left untreated until it rose that high there could be irreparable internal damage. 

After checking his temperature, she saw that Fred was trying to open his eyes. He grabbed her hand and croaked out, “Feel like crap, eyes burn, the light hurts…” 

Brushing his hair back from his face she assured him, “Shhhh, don’t try to talk. I promise to take care of you. I’m going to give you some potions to help you feel better and I’ll dim the lights as soon as I’m finished reading what I need to do for you. Try to sleep.”

With a weak nod, he tried to respond verbally but she shook her head and shushed him gently again. “Rest now. I think one of the potions that I’m to give you is a sedative. You probably won’t wake again until you’re all healed. I’ll be here with you the whole time,” she promised. Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his forehead. A sigh of relief escaping her lips as his breathing evened out a bit when he succumbed to sleep. 

Grabbing the potion that was supposed to coat and cool the respiratory tract, and act as a sedative, Hermione opened Fred’s mouth and poured the cool blue liquid down his throat. She used the Anapneo spell immediately afterward to make sure his breathing wasn’t impaired and repeated the process with a nutritive and hydrating potion before setting an alarm on her wand to alert her when three hours had passed. At that point, she would need to give Fred another round of potions. 

After checking to make sure that he seemed comfortable, she turned off the overhead lights, closed the blinds on the windows, then settled down on the other side of him with the booklet that would instruct her on how to care for Fred. Using only the bedside lamp for illumination, she read the entire thing twice, wanting to ensure that she understood everything completely.  _ This was more important than any exam had ever been.  _

When she was certain that she understood everything that was required, she checked the time and saw that there were nearly two hours before Fred needed anything. She attempted to read but was quickly overcome by despair. _ Why had she run away like that last night? Why hadn’t she just talked to him? Now, he was terribly ill and she may never… No! She wouldn't think like that. He was young and healthy, she was going to take exceptional care of him. There was no reason to think that he wouldn’t have a quick and perfect recovery.  _

Startled from her thoughts by her wand alarm going off, she rushed to Fred’s side checking his temperature, which was thankfully holding steady. She wasn’t supposed to administer any fever-reducing potions unless his temperature reached forty degrees. After giving him the appropriate potions, she performed the spell to relieve his bodily functions before grabbing the little tube that contained a healing salve. 

Sighing, she pulled back the covers, feeling altogether uneasy about this. It was necessary, but she felt like she was violating Fred’s privacy by taking this next step. With a deep breath, she squared her shoulders before leaning over to check his body for the purple lesions caused by the pox. Deciding to do the ones that weren’t covered by clothing first, she inspected his face, neck, arms, and torso, applying the sticky pink goop liberally to the livid purple spots that were visible. She needed to roll him over, but his pants needed to be removed as well, which were the only thing he’d worn to sleep. Still, she hesitated before proceeding… It made more sense to do one side of his body first. She’d need to use magic to roll him and it was probably best to continue to limit that as much as possible.

Closing her eyes, she made the decision. It was a necessary part of his medical care, she would act like an adult and do it. If the situation were reversed, she would trust him enough to do the same for her. That realisation made her pause for a moment… Fred would want her to do this for him. The certainty of that knowledge weighed heavily on her while somehow making her heart feel a bit lighter.

Removing his pants briskly, she applied the salve to the few spots that were immediately noticeable, before taking the final step and moving his bits around and combing through the smattering of well-groomed copper curls that covered his pubis to see if there were any lesions that needed tending in  _ that area _ . She finished up quickly, then, using her wand, she rolled him over onto his stomach and repeated the process. When she was done, she turned him onto his side, knowing that it was best if he didn’t stay in one position too long. She didn’t bother with replacing his pants, as the care manual said that it was best to keep the patients as lightly clothed as possible. Opting instead to cover him with only the sheet before she went to wash the salve off of her hands. 

Knowing that she needed to eat to keep up her strength, she went to the menu to order something. Nothing looked appetizing so she ordered a pot of tea and some biscuits to nibble on, promising herself that she would have a nutritious dinner that evening. When her tray arrived, she was confused to find that it held the tea and biscuits, but also had an assortment of fruit, cheese, olives, and cold meats. She examined the menu, trying to find a way to return the items that had been sent unintentionally. Unable to find a solution, she shrugged in defeat before taking everything outside to eat by the pool. 

Not wanting to waste perfectly good food, she tried a bit of everything on the tray. Finding it all to be delicious, she devoured it before rushing back inside to check on Fred. Satisfied that nothing had changed, she brought her tea and biscuits to the small bedside table and decided to watch a film until it was time for Fred’s potions. Watching  _ The Parent Trap  _ a few nights before had put her in the mood for the older films and vintage classics. She settled on  _ Pollyanna _ . When it ended, she realised that it had been just what she needed. It was then that she decided she would play her own version of ‘the glad game’ over the next few days when she felt worried or lonely. With Fred’s illness, she would likely need it, especially since no one seemed to be coming in to check on him as the resort staff had promised. She only hoped that if his condition worsened that she would be able to summon help. 

As she briskly moved around Fred following the now-familiar routine, she decided to try out ‘the glad game.’ Smiling down at his sleeping form, she said, “I’m so very glad that you seem to be doing as well as can be expected. And, I’m glad that I’m here to take care of you.” As she’d done earlier, she pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before getting a book for herself and setting in next to him.

When it was time for dinner, she really had no interest in food. Reasoning that she’d ended up eating a nice lunch, she ordered only a pot of tea and a small plate of fruit. Mysteriously, when the tray arrived it held the items she’d requested along with a steaming bowl of vegetable soup and a piece of crusty bread. She dug in with a sigh, unable to purposefully waste food ever since the war when they’d nearly starved in that blasted tent. After the first bite, she found that it was exactly what she’d wanted. 

Over the next few days, Hermione tended to Fred around the clock. Her wand was set to alarm every three hours for temperature checks and administration of his potions. By the third day of his illness and the sixth day of their quarantine, she was exhausted and had lost all sense of what day it was. 

It was nearly dinnertime when Hermione went to check on Fred. When she took his temperature, she found that it had risen and was now forty degrees. Panicked, she gave him a fever-reducing potion along with the rest of his potion regiment. She waited thirty minutes then took his temperature again, only to find that it hadn’t gone down at all.

Her worry and exhaustion caught up to her then and she began to cry.  _ What was she going to do? Fred needed medical attention now. Why had they been left alone?  _

Frantically, she went to the door, trying in vain to open it. Failing that, she beat her fists against the solid wood, calling out for help. When no one answered, she grabbed her wand and summoned her Patronus, asking the familiar otter to bring help from the resort’s front desk. Only when it reached the door of the room, instead of swimming through as expected, it popped out of existence. 

Sinking to her knees, she wept, a sense of hopelessness overwhelming her. Her fear and grief were finally manifesting in a tangible way. As the sobs wracked her body, she collapsed, her head resting on her arms while her tangled mass of hair fell haphazardly around her face. 

Just as her gasps became too rapid and she threatened to hyperventilate, a small voice spoke. “Miss, Miss, please, you must calm down, you must. Miss, you will make yourself sick.” 

Shocked, Hermione sat up much too quickly and nearly passed out. The rush of adrenaline after having her head down for so long caused her head to spin and flashes of light appeared before her eyes. “Woah,” she groaned, grabbing at her temples in an attempt to steady herself. 

“It’s okay, take some breaths. You will be okay.” 

As her vision cleared, she saw that the voice belonged to a concerned looking house elf. The tiny creature had its hand extended in an offer to help Hermione stand. She took the hand and allowed herself to be led over to the other side of Fred’s bed where she’d been spending most of her time. 

Realizing that the elf could help them she grasp the arm of the hand that she still held. Looking into the bulbous eyes, she pleaded, “You have to help us. Can you please get a healer for Fred? He’s so sick! His fever has become dangerously high now. Please help him!”

The little elf smiled kindly, “Miss, I think you have misunderstood. Coco has been monitoring him from outside of the room. Coco knew as soon as he became ill. Coco didn’t come to check until now, because Miss has been taking such good care of Sir. He is healing well, he is.”

Hermione tried to process everything that the elf had just told her. She was still feeling a bit woozy. Starting with what she was certain she’d understood, she asked, “Coco? Your name is Coco?”

The elf nodded, “Yes, Miss.”

Smiling, Hermione went on, “Thank you, Coco, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Hermione. You needn't call me Miss, just Hermione.” Seeing that Coco was about to say something, she rushed on, “You said that Fred was healing well, but I’ve just taken his temperature and it’s become dangerously high. It’s at the level now that he’s supposed to be checked out in a hospital.”

“Miss Hermione,” Coco blinked up at her, clearly only willing to compromise her standards so much. “Coco promises that he’s getting better. The patients that Coco has tended and the ones who have been tended by the other elves have been having a higher fever just before they start to get better. As long as they don’t have any other things go wrong, they aren’t needing the hospital. Sir will probably be able to wake up tomorrow.”

“Really?” Hermione asked, tears springing to her eyes. She was finally starting to relax and allow herself to hope. “I’ve just felt so alone, and so scared. I was afraid that I wasn’t doing enough to take care of him. I just love him and I need him to get better.” Eyes wide, Hermione gasped and covered her mouth. Had she actually just said that? Did she mean it?

Did she really love Fred Weasley? She knew that she loved all of the Weasleys in the family sort of way, but this was different. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, she’d known for days that what she was feeling was well past a fleeting fancy. Bugger it all, she was in love with him. 

Broken from her reverie by a small hand on her arm, Hermione turned and faced Coco again. The large eyes were staring in Hermione’s direction. “Coco could tell. Your love shows in the way you took such good care of Sir. Now, you should rest, Miss Hermione. Coco will stay tonight and take care of Sir. Coco will draw Miss Hermione a bath and then order you some food and tea. Miss will relax, eat, and then get some sleep.”

Hermione wasn’t convinced that she was willing to leave Fred completely in the care of the little elf. She liked her well enough and Coco seemed competent, but he was far too important to trust to someone else. She also thought that his temperature should be monitored closely regardless of what had happened with the other patients. None of those people were Fred.

She decided that she would have a bath and eat something to satisfy the well-meaning elf, before checking on Fred and making a final decision whether to alarm her wand or not before resting as she’d been doing the last few days. 

Making her way into the bathroom, Hermione found the large bathtub that she’d neglected to use filled with lavender-scented bubbles. As she sank into the hot water, a sigh of relief escaped. She’d been spending far too much time sitting the past few days, and too little time getting any exercise. Her muscles and joints desperately needed this soak. Ever since her torture during the war, she’d had issues with aches and pains if she didn’t move around regularly. She knew better, but she’d been worried about Fred and neglected to care for herself. 

After a delightful soak, Hermione dried off and chuckled when she saw that Coco had placed a fresh set of nightclothes on the bathroom counter. The little elf intended for her to rest and wasn’t being subtle about it. 

As she emerged from the bathroom, the witch found herself being guided to the small table in the kitchen area of the suite. She could see a steaming bowl of the vegetable soup and a large piece of crusty bread waiting for her. Suddenly, Hermione understood why she’d been getting meals that she hadn’t ordered. Turning to face Coco, she smiled down at the elf. “Have you been sending me food when I only ordered tea and a small snack?” 

The elf stared up at her with an unrepentant expression. “Coco had to take care of you. Miss wasn’t bothered to take care of herself.” The elf lowered her voice to a mutter that was still loud enough for Hermione to make out, “Not eating enough to keep a cat alive.” As Hermione tried to hide her snicker behind her hand, Coco raised her voice again to add, “Miss needed good, nutritious food to keep her strong while she cared for Sir.”

“Thank you. You seemed to know just what I needed.” Seeing the tears of joy spring to the elf’s eyes, Hermione grinned as she went back to eating her soup. 

When she was done with her meal, she allowed herself to be tucked up next to Fred in the bed with a cuppa and a book. Sipping her tea, she thumbed through the novel absently and decided that she would try to read until it was time for Fred’s next round of potions. 

  
By the time she was halfway through her tea, Hermione was so drowsy that she was having trouble focusing on the words on the page in front of her.  _ That little sneak had lased the tea with Dreamless Sleep _ . Through her irritation and fear of leaving Fred alone, she had to admit that the elf had done well, correctly anticipating her intent to care for Fred herself. Unable to stay awake any longer, she rolled to face the handsome wizard next to her, placing a hand lightly on his arm before drifting off to sleep.


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to my wonderful beta, LadyBlack3.
> 
> I also want to thank moonfairy13 for always answering my random British English questions.

Hermione came awake slowly, feeling disoriented as her eyes adjusted to the soft morning light streaming through the glass windows that faced the terrace. Abruptly, she recalled the events of the previous evening and quickly rolled to check on Fred. 

She gasped audibly, tears springing to her eyes. “Fred, you’re awake!” Without stopping to think she flung herself at him, drawing back in horror when he groaned in pain. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think. I was just so relieved to see you awake and doing better.” As she spoke, she carded her fingers through his hair and tenderly caressed his face, leaning down to press a kiss to an unmarked area of his skin near his lips. 

Realising that she was acting on the newly discovered feelings that they hadn’t yet discussed and that Fred would only remember the events of the evening before he fell ill, Hermione pulled back. Looking down at him, she saw confusion and discomfort written on his face. She watched as he appeared to be trying to process something. 

“Hermione,” He spoke slowly, his voice that sounded raw and rough with disuse and the effects of his illness. “What happened to me? Why do I feel like I’ve been run over by the Knight Bus?”

Reaching over, she gripped his hand, and in a soft, gentle voice began to explain. “You’ve been terribly ill. You had Dragon Pox. This is the first time in three days that you’ve really been awake. I was so scared,” she admitted, her voice breaking on the last word. Squeezing his hand a little more firmly, she fought back the tears that were threatening to spill down her face. Taking a deep, calming breath, she smiled, “I’m so happy that you’re going to be okay.”

She watched as he took in this new information, his gaze never leaving hers. “Did a healer come to check on me?”

With fresh tears pricking her eyes, she was unable to answer. Shaking her head, she watched for his reaction.

His eyes widened as he asked, “You’ve been alone, taking care of me all this time?”

Nodding, she qualified, “Well, until last night I was. Your fever spiked and I wasn’t able to bring it down. I… I… let’s just say that I was very worried and became terribly upset. A little elf popped in at that point. She’d been monitoring you remotely while caring for other people and was satisfied at how I was managing your care.” Chuckling at the memory of how Coco had handled her the previous evening, Hermione added, “She apparently decided that I needed rest last night and slipped Dreamless Sleep into my tea.”

Fred eyed her speculatively, “Had you been taking proper care of yourself?” He asked, making his voice as stern as he could manage in his present condition.”

“Yes, of course,” she answered automatically.

He cut his eyes at her, disbelief obvious in his expression. “Well, I may not have been ordering proper meals, but the elf was sending extra food to me — which I ate. And, I had to set an alarm to give you potions every three hours, so I was sleeping when I could, but admittedly not as much as I should have,” she amended.

Without saying anything, Fred lay there studying her. Unsure about what he was thinking, her mind raced with the possibilities. Should she talk to him about what happened the night before he got sick? She really didn’t think that now was the time, and as she watched, she could see that Fred was very obviously struggling with something. “What’s wrong?” she asked tentatively, not sure what it was but feeling compelled to offer assistance. “Are you in pain? Can I do anything to help?”

Shaking his head slightly, she saw the emotion in his eyes as he brought her hand to his lips. Her breath hitched as he kissed her palm lightly, whispering against the soft skin, “Thank you for taking such good care of me. I wish that you’d had more help, that you didn’t have to sacrifice so much for me. You put your own health in jeopardy. I don’t know how I'll ever be able to thank you enough.”

Not wanting Fred to get too upset and have a setback, and honestly not understanding why he was making such a fuss, Hermione rushed to say, “I didn’t do anything that you wouldn’t have done had the situation been reversed. You would have taken care of me just the same as I did for you.” Ready to be done with the conversation as the praise was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable, she changed the subject. “I should probably go and see what potions you still need and check to see if you’re running a fever now.”

She started to climb from the bed, attempting to remove her hand from Fred’s grasp. He surprised her by tightening his hold on her, stopping her from retreating. “Wait, I could really use a trip to the loo. Do you think you can help me up?” Wide, mortified eyes stared up at her. “How have I been using the loo? You haven’t had to clean up after that have you?” 

“No, the instructions they provided in the cupboard with the medicinal potions included the spells for relieving bodily functions. I’ve been using those. I can do that now if you’re not feeling strong enough to stand,” she reassured him with a smile.

“Honestly, I’d really like to get up. If I’ve been out for three days, I’m sure that I need to try and move around a little. Nodding, Hermione stood and walked around, preparing to help Fred up. She saw the moment he realised that he was naked under the bed coverings. His mouth fell open, as he gazed at her with a shocked expression. “Um, Hermione, where are my pants? Why am I completely starkers?”

Bugger! She was hoping to save this particular discussion for later. Lowering her head, she examined the pattern on the duvet as she explained. “Well, you see, the lesions from this strain of Dragon Pox are extremely damaging. If they aren’t found and treated they can cause severe scarring, disfigurement, or even muscle damage. I had to check you over and apply a salve to any lesion I found. I’m really sorry that I invaded your privacy like that but I didn’t have much choice.” She swallowed hard, “I thought about it and decided that if the situation was reversed that I would have trusted you to take care of me in that way so…” Trailing off, she bravely lifted her gaze and found that Fred was smiling. 

He waggled his eyebrows at her and she nearly burst into joyful tears at having him back to his usual antics already. “Couldn’t resist a peek at my bits, could you? I know I’m irresistible.” Teasing her with a chuckle and a cheeky wink. “But,” he continued and she could see the mischief dancing in his eyes, “I have to ask, why on earth would you have to wait until I was unconscious?”

Hermione’s face was on fire. _ If only he knew how he affected her. Wait, did he know? _ She glanced at his smug smirk and was certain that he had some idea of what he was doing. 

Flustered to the point that she had no chance of saying anything that wouldn’t make matters worse, she pretended that he hadn’t just been winding her up and fetched him a fresh pair of underpants. Cringing slightly because she knew there was no way to phrase the next question without giving Fred a perfect opening, she sighed deeply. “Do you need help getting into these or do you think you can manage?”

Fred’s instantaneous grin nearly made her discomfort worth it. The relief from having him back made her more willing to put up with more than usual. However, when she saw the grin morph into a suggestive smirk, she braced herself for whatever was coming. “I think I can manage, but I wouldn’t say no to you helping me out of them again later.”

Instead of allowing him to get to her again, she tossed the underwear at his face as he chuckled. Turning her back as he reached under the sheet to slip them on, she closed her eyes in an attempt to compose herself. 

“You can turn around now, love. Your virtue is safe.”

_ Virtue my arse...Right, I can do this. He won’t get me going over this. Let’s not make a trip to the loo Mission Bloody-embarrassing... _ Giving herself an internal pep talk, she turned back to see Fred struggling to sit up. Embarrassment forgotten, she rushed to help him. 

A few minutes later, Hermione helped an exhausted Fred back into bed. He needed to eat to start the process of regaining his strength. “What do you feel like eating?” 

“I think I’d like to try something new.”

“Like what?”

“I think we can find something that I haven’t tasted before,” he said seductively, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Instead of allowing herself to get flustered, she turned on the flirty tone. “You’ll have to be more specific, I’m afraid.”

“Well, I thought I might start by nibbling on some baps.” With a quick glance at her barely covered breasts, he met her gaze unashamedly. “After that, I would quite like to have the taste of a nice fresh peach on my tongue,” he added with a cheeky wink that made her belly flutter.

“Bread rolls, and fresh fruit it is.” With a smug smirk, she turned on her heel and walked purposefully toward the kitchen nook, swaying her hips as she went. Glancing back over her shoulder she shot him a quick wink and prayed that she didn't look absolutely ridiculous. “If you’re very lucky, perhaps we can get to the rest later.” 

When she returned to the bedroom after a few moments, she noticed that Fred was already looking better. He was wearing a goofy grin and staring at her as if he’d won some kind of prize. If flirting with him resulted in a faster recovery, she’d do it all day long. 

As she placed the tray on the bedside table, he grabbed her hand, tugging her toward him. “Did you mean it?”

Her stomach swooped as he pulled her closer. Sitting down next to him, she nodded. “Yes,” she admitted in a soft voice. 

He was silent for a moment, his eyes searching hers. “Why did you run away that night — before I got sick?” he asked with a resigned sigh.

Gripping his hand in both of hers, she felt her eyes sting as she struggled to find the words to explain. “I was scared. Honestly, I didn’t know for sure if what I was feeling was real, or the result of us being stuck here together. I didn’t want to take the chance of ruining our friendship if I wasn’t certain.” 

“But you are now?” His gaze was intense and she felt her heart flutter as he began to stroke his thumb across the center of her palm.”

“I am,” she murmured, closing the distance and placing a light as a feather kiss on his lips. Strong despite his weakened state, he swiftly pulled her down, rolling them so they faced each other. He took her mouth slowly and sensually, yet with an intensity that thoroughly demonstrated just how happy he was to kiss her. It made her want to let go with abandon, in the very best way. 

As his hands began to roam the length of her body, caressing her skin through the silk nightie she still wore, Hermione pulled away. Fred needed to rest, he wasn’t supposed to have too much physical activity for the next couple of days. Sadly, what they were heading toward would count as too much exertion. “We should stop. You need to eat and rest in order to recover properly.” When he grumbled in protest, she smirked, “You’re going to need your strength for what I have planned.”

Grinning now, he trailed a finger down her neck to her collar bone, causing her to shiver in delight. “That sounds amazing and I will wait patiently, but it doesn’t mean that I won’t get a little carried away. You’re irresistible, how can you expect me to behave completely?”

“Maybe I should go change into something a little less revealing,” she suggested with a ponderous expression.

Fred cut her off before she could even finish her thought properly. “NO! If I have to be stuck in bed all day whilst recovering and behaving myself, I deserve to be rewarded. And as you’ve already limited my physical activities, I want you to stay just like that, all day until you shower and change into a different one for bedtime.”

Rolling her eyes good-naturedly in Fred’s direction, Hermione hopped up to get their food sorted. She knew that regardless of any protest, she’d do what he asked. Just knowing that he was truly going to be alright was enough for her to want to give him anything. But then he had to go and kiss her like that. It was the kind of kiss she’d dreamed of, one that ticked all the boxes — sensual, sexy, and sweet. Just thinking about it made her tingly all over. 

During breakfast, they decided to spend the day watching movies. And they did just that — spending the day cuddled up in bed watching movie after movie, sharing kisses, and chatting with each other, taking breaks only for meals. After they had their dinner, they got caught up in a rather intense snogging session that left Hermione breathless. Reluctantly, she pulled away, not wanting to stop but knowing that Fred shouldn’t exert himself. 

There was a sudden glint in Fred’s eye that had her a little worried. She’d seen that look before and it was a sure sign of trouble. Before she could ask what was on his mind, he asked entirely too innocently, “Do you think you could help me take a shower? I know that you’ve been using cleaning charms and I truly appreciate it, but a real shower would be rather nice. I could sit on that nice long bench so I wouldn’t get overtired.”

“Alright. I’ll go get into my swimsuit so I can help if you need me.” 

As she started to get up, Fred grabbed her wrist and shook his head at her. “I don’t think a swimsuit will be necessary. I mean, it’s only fair. You’ve had quite a bit of time to ogle my bits, it’s my turn now.”

Naked and wet in an enclosed shower with someone she was incredibly attracted to. That wasn’t a good idea, and yet, she wasn’t actually opposed to it. In fact, her heart rate had noticeably increased, and that wasn’t the only physical reaction that she was having. She really did want to be naked with him, although she would have preferred it to have been once he was totally healthy and there were no restrictions on what they could do.  _ Then again, fair was fair _ , she mused. 

“If I agree to this, you will sit and behave the entire time. You can look, you can even touch a little but you can’t do anything that will exhaust you,” Hermione ordered in an authoritative voice.

Looking as excited as a child on Christmas morning, Fred nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, ma’am! I can agree to those terms.”

She helped Fred into the bathroom and turned on the shower to warm it up. Turning back, she felt a sudden case of nerves. Apparently, it was obvious because Fred told her, “You don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. If you prefer to wear a swimsuit, please do. I don’t ever want to push you into doing something that you will regret.”

“It’s not that.” And Hermione realised that it really wasn’t. It was the fact that they were getting naked together for the first time outside of the heat of a passionate moment. There was no distraction of being so horny that they simply acted without stopping to think about what was actually happening. She felt more exposed and vulnerable now than she’d felt during any previous sexual encounter. This was somehow more intimate than anything she’d done before.

Bravely, she reached down and took hold of the hem of her nightie, pulling it smoothly over her head and discarding it behind her before she could change her mind. She swallowed hard at the way Fred looked at her, his eyes roaming her body as she stood there wearing only a pair of silk knickers. As she watched, she saw the tent form in his pants, and the way he swayed slightly before grabbing onto the wall for support. 

Without a second thought, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, providing support in case he needed it but reveling in the way her bare skin felt pressed against his. Rising up on her tiptoes, she kissed him briefly but passionately before reaching between them to remove his pants, and then her knickers. His erection rubbed temptingly against her belly as he groaned his approval. 

Reluctantly, she drew away, pulling him into the shower then guiding him gently to sit on the long tile bench. Before she could be tempted to snog him again, she busied herself with the little tasks that would get him feeling more himself. She washed Fred’s hair, lathering it smoothly before rinsing the suds out using the handheld showerhead. Next, she picked up a flannel and the soap, carefully washing his face and body. 

Fred had been silent as she washed him. When she was done, he reached up, cupping her chin and pulling her down for a sweet kiss, murmuring against her lips. “You are going to be the most amazing mum one day.”  _ What exactly did he mean by that? Was he speaking generally or…  _ Before she could panic about the meaning of his words, she found herself in his lap being thoroughly snogged, quickly distracted from her thoughts by the amazing sensation of being naked and wet in his lap. She turned to straddle him as his hands began to sear a path down her slippery body with their heated touch. They found her breasts as she began rocking against him, his hard length rubbing against her already slick centre. 

_ Fuck! What was she doing?  _ She’d allowed them to get caught up when she’d cautioned Fred against it. Desperate for release but more concerned about Fred’s health, she wrenched her mouth from his. Planting her knees on either side of his body, she lifted her weight from his lap. “Merlin, I’m so sorry. We shouldn’t have let ourselves get this carried away.”

Chuckling, Fred murmured, “I can’t say that I’m sorry. In fact, that was bloody brilliant. Although, I really wish that you hadn’t come to your senses. I would love to be balls deep inside that pretty pussy right now. Hearing your sexy little noises… Fuck!”

Her heart pounded. She’d been desperately turned on already but hearing Fred’s words really did it for her. Breathlessly, she whispered, “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

Staring into her eyes, Fred’s voice grew husky, “Good, you can start right now. I want you to show me exactly what you did in here that night that we almost kissed. I heard your moans and I wanted to bust down the door and join you in here. It took everything I had to wait until you were sleeping to come in here and get myself off. Now, if you want to make it up to me, show me how you touched yourself. Make yourself come for me. I want to watch.”

Unable to speak, trembling slightly with nerves and desire, Hermione nodded and moved down to the other end of the tile bench.  _ Was she actually going to do this? Completely share her most private moment with him?  _ Shocked at her own willingness to do something so bold, she arranged her back against the wall. Placing one foot up on the bench, she faced him, her legs spread wide, open to him. His gaze never left her body as her hands first went to her breasts, rolling and pinching her nipples before she allowed one hand to trail down over her belly to find her clit. 

“Fuck, that’s the sexiest thing that I’ve ever seen,” she heard Fred mutter as she began to circle the bundle of nerves with two fingers. 

Her eyes never leaving him, taking in the expression on his face, she reached up to grab the showerhead, adjusting it to the  _ pulsing massage _ setting that she’d enjoyed, she watched Fred’s mouth fall open as he realised exactly what she was doing. 

Replacing her fingers with the jet of water, she moaned at the amazing sensation. As she moved her fingers down to slip inside, she found her hand batted out of the way to be replaced by Fred’s. Somehow he had moved closer while she was distracted and the sight of him looming so close made her body arch subconsciously towards him. Her breath caught as he slipped one finger inside her, slowly, torturously pumping it in and out. Gazing into his eyes, she gasped in pleasure as he added a second finger. 

“Do you wish that was my tongue?” He asked in a low voice, gesturing toward the showerhead. “Or maybe, you want my cock inside your pussy instead of my fingers.”

_ Yes, yes, yes! _ She thought, unable to form words as she began to writhe. Fred smirked, crooking his fingers to hit just the right spot. That was all it took for her to come apart, clenching around his fingers as the orgasm washed over her. 

As soon as she was coherent again, she sat up, kissing him deeply before getting to her knees on the shower floor. Caressing Fred’s thighs, she looked up, meeting his gaze with clear intention. “You don’t have to…” he assured her but his voice sounded strangled and needy. His cock twitched then, much to her delight. It made her feel powerful… sexy. 

“I want to...” she hummed with a lascivious smile. 

He nodded then sucked in a sharp breath as she lowered her head and licked up the underside of his length. At the same time, she wrapped both hands around the base of his cock, stacking one on top of the other. She bobbed up and down, swirling her tongue while rotating her wrists and sliding her hands up and down in time with her mouth, using her saliva as lubrication. This was her signature move and she was proud to say that she'd perfected the technique, she’d been told that there was no way to tell where her mouth ended and her hands began. Loving that she was finally able to do this for Fred, she went about the act with joyful enthusiasm. Soon, Fred was warning her, “I’m going to come.”

Instead of replying, she gave him a half nod and a kind of hum, acknowledging his words. Without breaking rhythm, she slid her bottom hand a little lower, gently tugging on his sac as he moaned, coming into her mouth. 

When he started to grow soft, Hermione stood, kissing her wizard gently and taking a moment to relax into his embrace. With heavy-lidded eyes, he whispered, “That was bloody amazing.”

Seeing how exhausted he was, she placed a soft kiss on his lips before turning to wash her hair and body quickly. When she was clean, she turned off the spray and retrieved towels for both of them, drying herself and wrapping her hair into the towel before helping him dry off. She led him straight to bed, tucking him in and casting a tooth cleaning charm on him before returning to the bathroom to deal with her hair.

By the time she made it back to the bedroom, he was already fast asleep. Climbing in next to him, she sighed happily when he immediately threw an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his body.


	7. Chapter Six

Over the next couple of days, they fell into a lazy routine. Hermione insisted that Fred take it easy in order to speed up his recovery process. They began to venture outside to sit in the sun and eat their meals but they avoided both the pool and the hot tub as his skin wasn’t completely free of lesions. Fred urged her to enjoy herself but she didn’t feel right about doing those things when he couldn’t. Instead, they spent countless hours relaxing in each other’s arms discussing their fears, hopes, dreams, and what they wished for the future. Neither mentioned anything about love, but it was always a thought in her mind during their chats. She knew with certainty that she was in love with the handsome redhead, but she hadn’t gathered the courage to say it aloud. 

On the morning of their tenth day in quarantine, Hermione and Fred sat at the outdoor dining table, sipping tea when he announced, “I’m feeling well enough to get back into our original routine.”

“Are you sure?” Hermione asked, her voice laced with concern.

Smiling softly, Fred rose, moving around to her side of the table. Squeezing in next to her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Thank you for taking such good care of me and for worrying, but I promise, I feel fine. If I don’t do something I’m in danger of losing my bleeding mind. These past few days with you,” he paused, kissing her, “have been amazing… beyond my wildest dreams. But I need physical activity. I promise that if I start to feel tired, I’ll stop whatever I'm doing and have a nice kip.”

Satisfied with his response, Hermione nodded, pulling him down for a snog. 

Several hours later, Hermione walked outside ready for a swim after so many days of inactivity. Fred was already waiting in the water. As she approached the pool, he called out, “Off with the swimsuit, come skinny dipping with me. It feels amazing.”

Hermione hesitated. She’d never been skinny dipping before, hadn’t considered it. It always seemed so scandalous. But why shouldn’t she now? They were completely isolated and no one could see them even if they were able to see other people in the passing boats and on the distant beach. Making her decision, she stopped by the deck chair, turning to face Fred, she slowly peeled out of her swimsuit. Her eyes taking in his expression as she did. Realising that his reaction made her feel bold, empowered, she played it up a bit, turning to give him a view of her backside as she bent unnecessarily low to place her suit on the chair. 

Turning back, she smirked, Fred was watching her with an open mouth, “Like something you see?” she quipped cheekily. 

“Indeed, I do. Why don’t you get over here so I can show you how much I like what I see.”

The implications of his words made her pulse leap as heat rushed into her belly. They had snogged and fooled around a little more since the day that Fred awoke, but they hadn’t had sex yet. Hermione had wanted to make sure that he was fully healed before they took that step. She wasn’t willing to risk his health for anything. 

Lowering herself into the cool water while fully nude felt different than it did in a swimsuit. It was sensual, soothing in a way, or she imagined that it would have been soothing if her imagination wasn’t going wild with the possibilities of what might finally happen between them. 

She made her way through the water, with growing anticipation, to where Fred stood halfway across the small pool. When she reached him, he immediately pulled her flush against his body. His arousal pressed firmly against her stomach as their lips met in a slow, sensual slide of tongues while their hands began to explore. 

Craving more, Hermione hooked a leg around Fred’s hip, grinding her centre against his length. They simultaneously moaned at the contact, but it wasn’t enough. With both arms around his neck, she wrapped the other leg around him and began to rock against his erection, desperate for the friction.

Fred grabbed her bum in both hands to hold her up, but instead of assisting her movements, he held her in place as he made his way into the deeper water, then toward the side of the pool. Reaching the tile ledge, he deposited her onto the side. With a sexy wink, he arranged her legs over his shoulders, lowering his mouth to her sex with excruciatingly slow movements that seemed to deliberately prolong the anticipation. Hermione gasped when instead of going straight for her slit, he licked the crease of her thigh on one side, then the other. Trailing the tips of his fingers lightly against her inner thighs, he sucked lightly on her labia, before dipping his tongue in, alternating between forceful thrusts and feather-soft licks. The exquisite mixture of sensations felt wonderful, but it wasn’t nearly enough for her to reach a climax. 

With a frustrated moan, she bucked against his face. The vibrations of his resulting chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. “I need more,” she demanded in a voice that didn’t sound at all like her own. He chucked again but shifted his focus to her clit, circling the tiny bud eagerly with his tongue. “Harder, use your fingers too,” she managed to gasp out as her legs began to shake. Unable to hold herself in a sitting position any longer, she lay back against the sun-warmed tile, crying out as Fred slid one finger through her wet folds, slipping it inside her as he flicked his tongue over her swollen bundle of nerves with increased pressure. 

Her breaths came out in pants. Reaching down, she gripped a handful of his coppery hair to hold him in place. She couldn’t bear it if he stopped now. The talented wizard slid a second finger inside as he brought his other hand to rest between the cheeks of her bum, his thumb pressing firmly against the small expanse of skin just behind her vagina. She crested then, calling out his name as pleasure crashed over her in waves.

As she came down from her orgasm, Hermione already knew that she wanted more if Fred was ready. Sitting back up, she lowered her head, gently running her fingers through the locks still in her grasp, encouraging his face up to meet hers. When their lips met, she kissed him passionately, already feeling her desire reignite. Leaving his mouth, she peppered kisses across his jaw and reaching his ear, sucked the lobe between her lips. Giving it one final lick, she whispered, “Are you feeling well enough for more?”

“Fuck, yeah.”

She grinned at his immediate response, “Alright then, why don’t you get out and join me over there,” she suggested gesturing toward the lounge chairs. Pecking him on the lips, she stood and made her way to the pair of chairs as Fred crossed the pool. Wand in hand, she first joined the chairs together before transfiguring them into a plush white bed that looked like it belonged on the beach. 

Fred came up behind her, his arms coming around her waist. Molding himself to her back, he rubbed his erection against her bum while he sucked on her neck. As his hands made their way up to tease her already hard nipples, she waved her wand once more, this time pointing at herself as she murmured a contraception charm. She was on the potion, but it never hurt to have an extra layer of protection. Turning in his arms, she kissed him with all the emotion that she was feeling. Her heart fluttered as she realised that she was about to make love to a man for the first time. She was no virgin, she’d been with men, had sex, fucked, but she’d never been in love… until now. And though she hadn’t yet found the courage to utter the words, she was ready to show him how she felt.

Trembling in anticipation, Hermione lowered herself to the luxurious bedding, pulling Fred down with her. Kissing languidly, their hands roamed as their passion grew. He lay back against the pillows, pulling her on top of him, grinding his hips so that his erect length slid through her wet folds. Teeth biting into her plump bottom lip, a soft cry of pleasure rose in her throat as she experimentally rolled her hips back and forth a few times until the tip of his cock made contact with her entrance. Rising up slightly, her eyes sought Fred’s. Holding his gaze, she guided herself down his length until he was fully sheathed inside her. Love welled within her. It felt so impossibly right to be joined with him like this. 

Without breaking eye contact, she spread her legs wide across his narrow hips, pausing for a moment to allow her body to adjust to the feeling of fullness before she began to move, circling her hips like she was hula hooping. She’d once read that the sensual motion was pleasurable for both partners and she’d wanted to try ever since. Immediately, she knew that she loved how it felt. Her clit was flush against his pubic bone and with every rotation of her hips, his cock came into contact with the front wall of her vagina. The combination of simultaneous internal and external stimulation was quickly bringing her toward what promised to be an amazing climax. 

If the noises that Fred was making was any indication, he was enjoying it as well. His hands came up to play with her breasts, pinching her pebbled nipples with just the right amount of pressure. She loved that he’d already learned her body and discovered how she liked to be touched. He tensed under her then, “Fuck, I don’t think I’m going to last…” he gasped out, his features tense, clearly trying to maintain control. 

“I’m close too,” she agreed, unable to say more as he rolled her nipples again. Instead, her mouth fell open on a silent scream as she suddenly tumbled over the edge, her mind going blissfully blank. As her walls pulsed around him, his control snapped. Grabbing her hips, he thrust up into her forcefully, tensing as he spilled into her. 

She collapsed forward onto his chest, sated and blissfully happy. Reaching for her wand, she muttered cleaning charms over them as Fred pulled a sheet up to cover their naked forms. They drifted off as they lay twined together, basking in the afterglow. 

Hermione wasn’t sure how long they slept but they were awoken by a sharp crack. They both jumped and she had her wand in her hand looking for the source of danger when they noticed the stack of envelopes stacked near their feet. After exchanging a glance with Fred, they shifted to see what it was. 

Fred exclaimed gleefully, “It’s our letters! They’ve finally come!”

“It only took them ten days,” Hermione rolled her eyes, “they might as well have waited at this point. We’ll be going home in four days anyway.” 

“Yes, but, we get news from home!”

Seeing how happy he was made Hermione less concerned about the obviously incompetent officials who had been in charge of the mail. Smiling softly at him, she grabbed the pile of letters and passed over the ones addressed to him.

They sat in near silence for the better part of the next half hour reading news from home. Occasionally one of them would read a passage aloud when there was a particularly exciting or funny anecdote.

Everyone was living together at the Burrow. Groceries and other necessities were set up to be delivered by Floo and no one was physically going to work at the moment. George was running the same kind of owl order service that he and Fred had started during the war. And he’d been working on some new products to fill the time between orders.

Hermione hadn’t seen the actual missive from George, but as the day wore on, it became abundantly obvious that the prankster had sent his twin some of the new spells and charms that he’d invented. When they sat down to dinner, she hadn’t even taken a bite of her food when she heard a whisper from Fred. She glanced over at him to see him studying his plate with an innocent expression, a little too innocent. “Fred,” she began, warning clear in her tone, “what did you do?”

“What are you talking about, love? I didn’t do anything. Have you tried the chicken? It’s delicious.” He smirked at her as she eyed him with suspicion. Knowing that he wasn’t going to give and she would find out what he’d done eventually, she turned her attention to her dinner. Cutting off a bite of the chicken, she brought her fork to her mouth and rolled her eyes at Fred, laughing with him as the chicken began to cluck at her.

That had only been the beginning. All evening long she’s been subjected to prank after prank. It was constant and exhausting. The first few times, she’d laughed along with him. But after hours and endless pranks, she was done. He’d turned her hair purple, made her pubic hair turn pink with a pattern of tiny red hearts, made her skin turn orange if she began to feel aroused, and made his cock chat her up. She started to feel overwhelmed and told him so, making sure that she said it kindly. “Fred, I’ve had enough. I’m exhausted and ready to relax, please stop with the pranks for tonight,” she kissed him gently, “I’m really happy that you got to hear from George and that made you so happy, but I need a break now.”

So, when she lay in bed attempting to read and the words began to jumble on the page, rearranging themselves to spell out erotic suggestions of what they could be doing if she wasn’t reading, she finally snapped. After yelling at him to stop, she turned off the light, rolled over, and proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the night.

She’d spent a restless night tossing and turning, evaluating how their relationship would work outside of the isolation that they’d been subjected to. Without a doubt, she was in love with him, but would it be enough? Fred had completely disregarded and disrespected her wishes. That was the issue. The pranks were expected, and honestly, she even found them to be fun, but she wanted to know that he would respect her enough to stop when she asked. 

Exhaustion finally won out over her heavy heart and miserable thoughts, and she fell into a fitful sleep.


	8. Chapter Seven

The next morning, Hermione woke first. Dressing quietly, she went outside, not wanting to wake Fred because she needed to gather her thoughts before they spoke. When she opened the terrace doors, she saw that the day was as grey as her mood. Dark clouds rolled through the sky, waves crashed angrily against the jagged rocks beneath them, and the mingled scents of salt and petrichor assaulted her nostrils as the first drops began to fall. 

She wasn’t certain how long she sat watching the rain and the wind-tossed sea, alone with her own stormy contemplation. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought about how incredibly happy she’d been the past few days. Until the previous night, she’d been certain that she and Fred could be great together. Now, she wasn’t so sure. She knew that unless he offered her some kind of believable assurance that this wouldn't happen again, she couldn’t continue what they’d started. And that made her feel physically ill. 

He was, without a doubt, what she wanted. But how could they possibly be compatible? If this happened after only a few days together, especially during what most couples would certainly call the honeymoon phase, how would they get along once the newness wore off?

Before she could consider anything else, Fred came out on the terrace. He carried a breakfast tray and had a jumper slung over his arm. As he set the food on the table, she started to speak but he shook his head with a sorrowful expression to quieten her.., “Please, there are some things that I have to say. I promise to listen to you, but I need to say this first.” 

Searching his eyes, she found what appeared to be true fear in his solemn gaze. Nodding, she whispered, “Alright, I’m listening.”

Coming around to where she sat, he murmured, “Budge over.” She expected him to start speaking as soon as he sat, but instead, he rubbed her arms, “You’re freezing.” He set about bundling her into the jumper he’d brought out. Then, with a sad smile, he wiped her tears with the pad of his thumbs. “I’m sorry,” he kissed her cheek. “I’ve been a complete arse. I got caught up in the excitement last night and disregarded you. There is no excuse for it, I should have respected your wishes. You were such a good sport all evening and let me have my fun. I have no excuse for not stopping when you asked me to. Please, I don’t want to lose you over this,” he pleaded with an anguished sigh. 

She studied his face, wanting nothing more than to throw herself into his arms and tell him that everything was forgiven, but she couldn’t do that. They had to resolve this, one way or the other, before they left this place. It was too important to be brushed aside. 

“I don’t want to lose you either, but how can I be sure that this isn’t something that will happen regularly? You’re far too important to me to risk getting into a doomed relationship that will end in nothing but arguments and misery. I don’t want that for either of us.”

He took her hand, his eyes earnest as he assured her, “It won’t be like that. You mean far too much to me as well. I can’t tell you that I won’t cock things up or get carried away from time to time, but I can promise that I will always respect you and stop if you’re honest and tell me that you’ve had enough.” Pausing to take a deep breath, he went on, “At home, I have Georgie to get into mischief with. He and I prank each other and other people constantly. With the two of us being stuck here alone, I haven’t had that outlet. Getting his letter yesterday reminded me how much I missed that. Unfortunately, I didn’t handle it very well. I’m truly sorry.”

Worrying her lip, she contemplated what he’d said. She really did want to give him the chance to prove to her that they could work. It wouldn’t do to simply give up after the first disagreement. “Alright, I forgive you. I’ve never felt the way I feel with you before now and I’m not ready to give that up. Please don’t make me regret it.”

“I need to be honest with you.” He reached up, caressing her eyebrows and cheekbones with a fingertip. “I’ve had feelings for you for quite some time now. That’s why I asked you to come to this conference with me. I’d hoped to have a chance to show you how I felt. But, during our time here, something happened and my feeling grew far beyond anything I could have expected.” He spoke softly, still outlining her features with a light touch, “I need you to know that I’m hopelessly in love with you and I hope that you’ll allow me the chance to show you just how much you mean to me.”

She heard the sincerity in his voice, saw the truth in his eyes, and knew that she had to tell him how she felt. Hope bloomed deep within her as she gazed at the man she knew she loved. “Oh, Fred, I’m in love with you too,” she sighed happily. “And I want us to make this work. I want to go back home and announce to all of our friends and family that we are together…”

The rest of her words were cut off by Fred’s enthusiastic kiss. He wrapped her in his arms and snogged all coherent thoughts from her mind. Content to let him, she returned the kiss with equal fervor. Pulling back slightly, he rested his forehead against hers, “I could go for a kip. What do you say we have some breakfast and then go back to bed for a little while? I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Smiling softly, he gave her another quick kiss. “I’ve already grown accustomed to having you in my arms. Trying to sleep last night, knowing that you were upset and that I’d caused it… well… It was awful and I don’t ever want it to happen again.” 

After their nap, they lazed around, enjoying lunch in bed while they watched a film as rain fell steadily outside. It was during the closing credits that something strange happened. There was a knock on their door followed by what sounded like locks being opened. With a shared glance, Hermione and Fred jumped up and ran to the door. When he tugged on the handle, the door opened with ease. Glancing outside, they found that the hallway was full of activity. The resort staff was going room to room waving their wands over the doors after knocking. Fred called out, “What’s going on?” 

One of the staff members turned, a bright smile on his face. “A notice will be delivered in a few moments, but you’re welcome to leave your rooms now. They’ve found an effective treatment for the virus so the quarantine has been canceled.”

As the man made his way down the hall to continue the process of unlocking doors, Fred and Hermione just stared after him. _It was over. They could go home._

They closed the door and immediately Fred swept her up into an enthusiastic hug that practically lifted her off the floor, laughing and spinning her around in a circle. He lowered his head to kiss her but they were interrupted by another knock, followed by a piece of paper being slipped into the room.

Eagerly, Hermione rushed over to see what it said. Scanning the notice, she read the important bits aloud, “The details about the treatment and how they discovered it will be in a special edition of the evening newspaper. We can request our copy around dinner time.” She was silent for a moment, checking to see if there was anything else she should relay to Fred when she saw a handwritten message at the bottom of the page. Grinning, she faced him, “Our Portkey is set to leave tomorrow at half-past two in the afternoon.” Kissing him on the cheek, she winked, “What would you like to do for our last evening here, Mr. Weasley?”

He kissed her deeply, smiling seductively at her when he pulled away. “I want you all to myself for one last night. If you want to try to get a reservation in one of the resort restaurants, I’m up for that. But..” He leaned in, licking along the shell of her ear before nipping the lobe between his teeth, his voice dropping to a husky murmur, “I’d love to just spend another evening out on the terrace. We haven’t had a naked night in the hot tub yet. It would be a shame to let that opportunity pass by.” 

“Dinner here and naked hot tub time sound perfect to me, I don’t need a fancy night out. Besides, we ate in every restaurant here at the resort before the quarantine started.”

“What do you want to do until dinner time?” he asked, as he glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “It’s only two now.”

She looked out the window, “The rain finally stopped and the sun has come out. I may take a book out to the terrace and read in one of the lounge chairs. Maybe I’ll have a swim too. We may as well enjoy all of this while we can. I’m sure that the weather back home won’t be this nice.” 

Nodding slowly, a mischievous look in his eye, Fred announced, “Naked time begins now.”

“Fred! I’m not going to just wander around naked all evening.”

Lifting his shoulders in question he asked, “Why not? No one can see you.”

Biting her lip, she sighed. She knew that he was going to get his way, partially at least, “How about a compromise then?” Without giving him an opportunity to answer, she rushed on, “It’s going to be too cold to eat dinner naked. l will agree to naked sunbathing and swimming, but then I’m coming in to put something on before dinner.”

He smirked then and she knew that he’d thought she was going to disagree completely. Kissing her soundly, he started trying to remove her clothing as she giggled. She noticed that he’d stopped moving and was gazing down at her with a goofy grin on his face. When he saw her watching him, he caressed her face, brushing her hair behind her ears. “I love you, you are utterly amazing.”

“I love you too, Fred. You’re pretty amazing yourself.”

Five minutes later they were both on the terrace. Hermione lay against the cushions of the deck chair, reading and watching the fit, naked man splash in the pool. _HER fit, naked man_ , she corrected herself with a pleased grin. She’d just flipped onto her stomach when Fred got out of the water, taking the chair next to hers. They lay in silence until he shifted to kneel next to her, massaging her shoulders and back, before moving down and giving the same treatment to her bum and legs. As his hands traveled back up her body, he began to follow with his lips, planting open-mouthed kisses and gentle licks all over. When he reached her neck, he whispered, “Turn over, love.”

Hermione complied happily with his request. The massage was both relaxing and erotic and she was eager to see where this would lead. As he repeated the process on the front of her body, she began to tingle all over, moisture coating her centre as her arousal grew. “Fred, need you...“ she gasped on a strangled cry, reaching down to where he still knelt next to her, wrapping her fingers around his hard cock. 

He chuckled darkly in her ear, “Not now, love. This was just the warm-up. You’ll have to wait for tonight for the rest. I’ve got plans… Mmmm, the things I want to do to you…” With a light kiss on her cheek, he stood, then took the deck chair next to hers, closing his eyes as he reclined back. 

“Please, Fred” she whined, unashamed at her neediness. “You’re just as turned on as I am. I felt it, and I can see it.” She gestured to where his cock stood at attention. “We can do things now, and then again later. You’re only twenty-six, don’t try to tell me that your performance will suffer.” Slightly embarrassed at how demanding she was being, she stood in a huff and jumped into the pool hoping that the cool water would have the desired effect. 

After swimming for several minutes, and cooling down in a very literal sense, Hermione began to think more clearly. She almost laughed aloud as an idea formed in her head. Fred Weasley was about to get a taste of his own medicine. Glancing over to where he lay, she saw that he was now on his stomach, watching her every move. _Perfect…_

She swam to the side and pulled herself out of the water. Making sure that her tits jiggled as much as possible, she walked back to where Fred lay. Grabbing her wand, she quickly dried herself, then straddled his back, sitting right on his bum. She wasted no time in giving him the same treatment that he’d given her. When she asked him to roll over, she found that his gaze was both amused and heated. Laughing to herself, she repeated the process. When she was done, she leaned in, kissing him deeply, lifting up on her knees as she did and making sure to brush her sodden centre right along the length of him. Then, with one final smacking kiss, she hopped off, announcing “I’m going in now. I’m having a shower before dinner.”

“Well done,” Fred applauded mirthfully as she went. Just as she reached the door, he called out, “Oh, and Hermione…”

Pausing with her hand on the door, she turned, “Yes?”

His eyes swept over her still naked form as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. “No touching yourself in the shower, love. I assure you that I’ll make it worth the wait.”

The words said in such a casual way caused a visceral reaction in her mind. As she melted under his heated gaze, vivid images of the possibilities swam in her head. Unable to formulate an intelligent response, she turned the knob with a shaking hand and went inside.

She indulged in a long, hot shower that did nothing to quell her desire, but she realised that she liked the prolonged anticipation. It was like the buildup of a good book before the climax, and with Fred, she knew that when the climax happened, it would meet all of her expectations. 

Because they’d yet to have a formal date and Fred had seemed keen to make this night special, she decided to dress nicely and put on a bit of make-up. While considering what to wear, she realised that Fred had yet to see any of her lingerie beyond her nighties. She loved feeling pretty under her clothing and always wore pretty matching sets, even when there was no chance of them being seen by anyone other than herself.

As she dressed in her most lurid bra and knickers, magenta satin that was edged in lime green lace, she smirked at her reflection in the mirror, imagining Fred’s reaction when he saw what she wore under her simple, cotton dress. Arranging her hair into a braided bun fastened at the nape of her neck, she swiped on lip gloss, and with one final glance in the mirror, she stepped from the bathroom.

Fred was waiting, lounging on the bed. “Wow, you look stunning,” he stood and kissed her cheek before heading for the bathroom, pausing in the doorway. “I just need ten minutes to be ready. The Evening Prophet and a glass of wine are waiting for you on the terrace, I’ll be out with our dinner shortly.”

Hearing that the paper had arrived, she rushed outside to see how they’d come up with a cure so quickly. She scanned the front page, intrigued by what she saw.

**_Muggle Disease Responsible For Mutation_ **

_The latest development in the Swedish Dragon Pox brings a welcome reprieve with a new vaccine! Upon closer examination of Mr. Johanssen’s notes, investigators discovered that he’d been experimenting with viral illnesses from the muggle world as well as the magical one. It was determined that Johanssen had injected himself with the measles virus only eight days before moving on to Dragon Pox. The incubation period in measles is 10-12 days, as Healer Stafford who is in charge of the investigation informs us, which Mr. Johanssen failed to account for as he moved onto the next set of testing... As the two viral strains combined in his body, a novel virus was created. Muggle-born witches and wizards seem immune to this new disease due to the practice of vaccinating muggle children against the measles. This vaccine has been used in Britain since 1948 following the Muggle Second World War._

_Medical researchers were able to use this information to adapt the cure for Dragon Pox with the antibodies from volunteers who were already immune to measles to create a treatment. They are also working on a vaccination similar to the one that the muggles use, in order to prevent future outbreaks._

Hermione folded the paper, placing it back on the table. She was a bit flabbergasted to learn that something that was so well controlled by muggles had been responsible for such a devastating outbreak in the magical world. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Fred who exited their suite, levitating several large items with his wand. Grinning at her, he placed their food on the table, and with a wink walked over to the hot tub where he arranged fruit and an ice bucket of Karanika like they’d enjoyed the first night. _So, he planned to get her drunk, did he?_

Returning to where she sat, Fred leaned in, whispering in her ear, his breath hot against her neck. “You won’t be getting sloshed, love. I want you to remember everything.” Sliding in next to her, he continued at a normal volume, “I know you enjoyed that wine and thought it would be appropriate for our last night.”

_Did he know what he was doing to her?_ He hadn’t even touched her yet, only whispered in her ear and her knickers were already soaked. Swallowing hard, she turned to him. “Did you read the article already?”

He nodded, “Yes, I did. Were you vaccinated for that mesol thing as a child?”

“It’s, measles,” she corrected, “and yes, I was.”

“So, that’s why you didn’t get ill even though you were obviously exposed. I was so worried that you would get sick too. Especially since you’d been using all that magic to take care of me.”

She shrugged, “I’m sure that I was exposed at the same time as you. We were together for the entire conference. By the time you were well again, I was nearly certain that I wouldn’t get sick too. There was no point in limiting my magic again.”

Fred smiled, kissing her gently on the lips. “Enough of the serious talk. Let’s eat and enjoy our evening.” As he spoke, he trailed his hand up the inside of her thigh, the tips of his fingers stopping just below her apex. 

Drawing in a shaky breath, she tried to focus on the meal in front of her as Fred chuckled wickedly.

The food was delicious, but Hermione hadn’t a clue what she was eating. She was too focussed on the touches, kisses, and meaningful gazes shared with Fred. Soon, they’d both eaten their fill and sat leaning into each other, sipping wine as they watched the sea. “I’m going to miss this place,” Hermione admitted.

“Me too,” Fred agreed, “but I’m excited to get back home and begin our normal life together…” He stared into her eyes, seeming to war with himself about something. Just as she was going to ask if he was alright, he took her hand, twining their fingers tightly together as he spoke softly, “We can come back on our honeymoon.”

Her first thought was to protest that it was too soon to speak of forever, but was it really? She saw the slightly fearful look in his eye and knew that he worried that he’d said too much. Her heart skipped a beat, full of love, and a certainty that he was it for her. “I would like that very much.”

  
  


“Really?”

“Yes, really,” she reached up to cup his cheek and pull him toward her. Just before her lips made contact with his, she whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you too, so very much.” Then he was kissing her and it felt as if she couldn’t get close enough to him. The heat between her thighs was spreading through her body and she thought she might internally combust before he touched her the way she needed. 

“Fred.”

“Stand up.” His voice was husky and had a slightly demanding edge to it that Hermione found incredibly alluring.

She stood, facing him as he scooted toward her, all the way to the edge of the seat, closest to where she waited. He pulled her close so that she was framed by his long legs. Without a word, he ran both hands up the back of her legs, from her knee to her arse. A groan escaped his lips as he caressed her. Moving his hands around the front of her frame, he pushed her dress higher, his lips finding the skin just above her knickers as his fingers traced the outline of her ribs then brushed across her satin-covered breasts.

Grabbing at the hem of the dress, she yanked it over her head, tossing it to the side. Fred’s lust-filled eyes raked over her, “You wore these for me?” he asked, his teeth lightly grazing her nipple through the fabric of her bra.”

“Yes,” she gasped, “now, take them off.”

He grinned “Anything the lady wants.”

After being quickly divested of her undergarments, she was pulled down to straddle Fred’s lap. They snogged as she began to shamelessly grind against his still fully-clothed lap. His erection pressed into her, the rough texture of his trousers adding to the friction and it was just enough for her swollen, sensitive clit. Within moments, she was crying out as the orgasm washed over her quivering body. 

Frantically, she reached for the fastenings on his clothes, needing him naked and inside her. Grabbing her hands, he stopped her movements. “No,” he said through gritted teeth, trying to stem himself as much as her. “I told you, have plans. In the hot tub. Let’s go.” He punctuated his words with a light slap on her arse and she was surprised to find that she liked it. She didn’t think that she would ever be into actual pain, but a little spank here and there might be fun. 

As they reached the hot tub, Fred swiftly removed his clothes. When she started to step down into the hot water, he pressed up against her back, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck before assisting her onto the bench. 

As they sat, Fred reached back, selecting a piece of juicy melon from the tray. He trailed the icy fruit down her neck to her breast where he circled her nipple. Long licks of his tongue followed, lapping the sweet juice from her skin. Offering her the bite of fruit from his fingers, he leaned in to kiss her, sharing the sweet taste as their tongues danced. 

“Fuck, you’re as sweet as that fruit. Did you like that?”

She nodded, she’d hadn’t done anything that sensual before and she loved it.

“Good, we’ll have to try it again sometime when I’m not feeling so impatient to get my hands on you.”

She moaned aloud, wondering exactly what he would do next as he planted kisses along her collarbone. “Kneel on the bench, facing the sea,” he instructed huskily.

As she knelt on the bench waiting for Fred the anticipation was making her crazy and her mouth dry. The water rippled around her as he approached, licking the sides of her body sensuously. Turning her head, she glanced over her shoulder but he tutted playfully. 

“Look out there love, not at me. I want you to wonder when I’m going to touch you.” He was close now, right behind her, and her heart beat wildly as she waited with bated breath. 

A single finger traced a path from the cleft of her arse up her spine to the nape of her neck. She shivered at the contact, then moaned as Fred’s mouth quickly followed. He kissed her neck, his hands coming around to roll her nipples before one traveled down to press into her centre. “Please, Fred, I need you now.” 

He placed his lips against her ear. “I’m going to use a waterproof lubrication spell. I have no intention of this being over quickly and I don’t want the hot water washing all of your lovely nectar away.” 

Drawing in a deep breath, she nodded, once again waiting in anticipation. She felt a cool rush of liquid between her thighs, then his finger slowly sliding in. “Fuck… that feels incredible... “

“This is going to feel even better,” he murmured as he lined himself up with her entrance. “Okay?”

“Yes, please, now…” 

As he pushed into her, she could feel every bump and ridge of his cock. Whatever that spell was, it did more than just provide lubrication. It felt phenomenal. “Oh, Merlin… Fuck… What is that? It’s… Oh, gods, I’m going to come already.” She cried out as he thrust a little faster, reaching around to press his thumb into her clit. 

Her walls clenched around him, and she felt him stiffen behind her, clearly fighting to maintain control. His breathing grew erratic as she cried his name in release.

She came down from the orgasm, her senses returning as he began to move slowly, fucking into her again with shallow and gentle strokes, giving her time to recover. When she began to respond again, rocking her hips back to meet his, he moved both hands to rest on the cheeks of her arse, spreading them wide, going deep with long, filling thrusts. The sensations he drew from her body made her feel as if she would float away. 

Fred moved a finger to brush between the cheeks of her arse, right across her hole. She tensed slightly, never having been touched _there_ before and he slowed his hips into a gentle thrusting rhythm. “Ever had anything inside you here?” he asked huskily. 

“No,” she squeaked.

“Could we try? Just a finger? Nothing more? And if you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

She considered this. Logically she knew that people found anal sex enjoyable and she was definitely curious to try it someday, she just didn’t want to do _that_ yet. But a finger may feel nice, she’d heard from other women that it increased the feeling of enjoyment and made orgasms more intense. “Okay, we can try.”

“I love you, you’re absolutely perfect. Thank you for trusting me enough to try new things with me.” Fred kissed her neck, sucking at her pulse point. “I’m going to use that spell again, is that okay?”

“Yes.” She felt the same rush of cold before his finger pressed into her slowly, centimeter by centimeter. It felt slightly uncomfortable at first, but it didn’t hurt. Then he began to move, pumping his finger in and out, in time with his cock. “Ohhh…” she breathed. Now she understood why people enjoyed this. It made her think that she might be interested in further exploration sooner than she realised. 

Already close to coming again, she moved her hand down, intending to rub her own clit when Fred picked her up slightly and shifted her to the side, positioning her so that one of the jets was directly in front of her. The water forcefully pounded into her clit as Fred began to fuck her hard. She screamed as a frenzied sense of urgency pushed her body toward release. Her mind went blissfully blank as her core clenched in ecstasy. Never before had she experienced complete satisfaction like this. As the euphoric waves of pleasure overwhelmed her, she heard Fred roar his completion as he stiffened behind her. 

She collapsed forward, bracing herself on her arms as she was unable to hold herself upright any longer. If Fred hadn’t held her up with a supportive arm around her waist, she thought she may have fallen flat on her face. 

He withdrew from her body, turning her in his arms, cradling her against his chest as he murmured soft words of love and adoration in her ear. She floated away, bonelessly, lost in the utter bliss of the moment. 

After what seemed to be only a few moments, Fred roused her. “Love, you need to drink some water, then we are going to sip a glass of that lovely bubbly wine and eat some of the fruit.”

With great difficulty, she lifted her head off of his shoulder, grumbling a bit, but she accepted the glass of water that he held gratefully. She could sleep later. Right now, she wanted to enjoy every second of the time that they had left on what once again felt like a lovely holiday. 

xXx

As she woke the next morning, Hermione lay quietly as she took in all the little details. This was their last day in Greece. It was such a bittersweet notion. She was thrilled that the quarantine was over and that they were going home to see everyone, but she cherished the time that she’d had with Fred. It was a little daunting to try and figure out how everything would work once they were back in England.

They worked together and for that reason alone, she knew that they would see each other every day. But she’d become accustomed to waking up beside him, in his arms and seeing his sleepy smile first thing in the morning, having all their meals together… Did she really want to go back to living alone in her little flat?

“I can hear you thinking from here, love. What’s on your mind this morning?

She hadn’t realised that he was awake. Turning to face him, she saw that he was gazing at her with that loving smile on his face. “Good morning,” she leaned in and kissed him before responding. “I was just thinking about how wonderful this has been, spending so much time with you. And I wondered how it would feel to go back home. What it will be like for us.”

He brushed an errant curl out of her face and leaned in to kiss her again. Looking deeply into her eyes, he took a deep breath as if he was trying to work up the nerve to say something. She took his hand in hers as her mind raced, wondering if she was going to be upset by whatever he was going to say. Clearing his throat, he began to speak, “I don’t want to live separately from you. I know that this is still new, but… we belong together. You feel it too, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I do. I feel the same way, and I know that I don’t want to live alone now that I’ve experienced this time with you, but it’s all so sudden. We have separate flats and there will be details to work out...”

“Hermione, stop,” Fred cut her off with a grin. “I can recognise the beginning of a crazed list-making frenzy. We can figure out the details later. For now, let's just decide that I’m sleeping wherever you’re sleeping. I don’t mind if that’s at your flat, my flat, or somewhere else entirely. We can figure all of that out once we’ve been home a few days. Alright?”

“Alright.” 

Fred pulled her in close, kissing her deeply. “Thank you for last night, by the way. You made some of my very detailed fantasies come true. I love you so very much.”

Sighing deeply, she let her mind wander to everything they’d done the night before. Blushing a little as she recalled how very wanton she’d been, she buried her face in his shoulder before whispering, “It was spectacular, beyond my wildest dreams. I love you.”

“Hey,” he nudged her until she raised her head, “no getting embarrassed. We’re only getting started.” Waggling his eyebrows at her comically, he jumped up. “Speaking of last night's activities, I seem to have worked up an appetite. I’m starving. Let’s go enjoy one last breakfast on the terrace, shall we?”

It was during breakfast that Hermione realised with horror that she hadn’t seen Coco since the evening before Fred regained consciousness. At first, she’d assumed that the little elf was busy with other guests who had fallen ill. Then, she’d become so consumed with the new relationship that she and Fred were forming that she had completely forgotten. “I’ve neglected to introduce you to Coco! We need to find her in the next few hours. I really do want to say goodbye.”

“Why don’t you just try to call her, love. I bet she would answer your summons.”

“She’s not a slave, she’s a paid employee of the hotel,” Hermione admonished automatically. 

Fred sighed patiently. “I know that. When I booked our reservations here, I checked first. I knew that you would be upset if you found out our resort had enslaved elves. But that’s not the point. She’s free to do as she pleases. If you call, she will come if she wants to.”

Smiling softly at Fred’s kindness, she nodded, “Alright. I’ll give it a try.” Raising her voice slightly she called, “Coco.”

The little elf popped onto the terrace almost immediately. “Miss Hermione!” she exclaimed. 

Hermione hugged her. “Coco, I missed you.”

Mischievously, the elf cut her bulbous eyes in Fred’s direction. “Miss Hermione was busy with her Sir.”

Hermione choked as Fred laughed, “I like you already, Coco. I’m Fred. Please address me by my first name, there’s no need for formalities with us.”

“Mr. Fred, I’m happy to meet you now that you are well.” She looked at both of them then, “You will come back when you are married. Coco will take care of you.”

Grinning, Fred nodded, “That’s our plan. We’re leaving today so we wanted to say goodbye to you and I wanted to thank you for taking care of Hermione while I was sick.”

Hermione added, “We know that you’re busy but I did want to see you again.” A thought occurred to her, “Coco, if we send you mail by owl post here to the hotel, will you get it?”

The elf beamed at her, “Oh, yes, Coco loves mail. Especially photographs. I like to see photographs of weddings and babies and all of the fun things like that.” She paused, “Coco is being summoned. I must be going now.”

As she popped out, Fred turned to Hermione, “I like that elf.”

“Me too. We’ll have to make sure that we write to her. I want to get her a little gift when we get back home.”

“That sounds perfect, love. Now, we should pack, and then we have time for one more dip in the pool before our Portkey departs this afternoon.”

Later that day, they stood in the resort’s lobby holding on to an empty tube of toothpaste. They were going home. As the Portkey glowed blue, Hermione smiled over at Fred. This was just the beginning for them and she was ready to start their lives together.


	9. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! We’ve made it to the end. Thanks to everyone who read, left kudos, and commented on this story, I appreciate you all! If you enjoyed this and the other stories in the Fremione Summer Fic Fest, be on the lookout for the Fremione Costume Party fest which will be revealed in October.
> 
> Special thanks to LadyBlack3 for her beta work on this story! 
> 
> Thank you to my friend, moonfairy13. I hope you enjoy the little Easter Egg that I’ve included for you in this story. I appreciate your constant willingness to answer my random questions and offer encouragement. I also want to thank moonfairy for the idea for a Weasley family neighborhood. The inspiration for that came from her story, Fremione and the Weasleys. If you’re not already reading that one, get over there now! It’s amazing, super long, and will be finished very soon.

Epilogue

15 March 2020

Hermione stood at the cooktop, tossing together a quick meal. After the rich food at Walt Disney World and what ended up being nearly two full days of heavy meals that Molly provided, she was ready for lighter fare. The prawns cooked in a light garlic butter sauce and tossed with courgetti fit the bill. It was healthy, easy, and the entire family would eat it without complaint.

As she put the finishing touches on their meal, Felicity approached. “Mum, you haven’t finished telling me everything about what happened once you and dad got home.”

Over the last few days, her daughter had been continually pressing her and Fred for the details of their quarantine and how their relationship developed. They’d relayed the story, leaving out all of the inappropriate details, of course. The topic, however, had spurred Hermione and Fred into reliving some of those moments late at night after their children were finally sleeping.

Hermione sighed, turning to her daughter who looked so much like her other than the deep auburn colour of her curls. “Let’s go sit at the table and have a cup of tea. I’ll put this under stasis. The boys are still outside anyway.”

Five minutes later, they sat sipping tea and Hermione shared the rest. “When we returned to England, we immediately went to The Burrow. Everyone was happy to see us, and thrilled that we’d become a couple,” she smiled, remembering how Molly had cried, hugging them both. Then there’d been the emotional reunion between Fred and George that had brought all of the female members of the family to tears as they watched the brothers embrace after their longest separation ever.

“I know that mum, that’s obvious,” Felicity broke in, rolling her eyes and acting very much like the pre-teen that she was.”

“Oh, it’s obvious, is it?” Hermione raised her brows. “What exactly are you wanting to know then?”

A faraway expression and wistful smile transformed her daughter’s face and Hermione thought to herself that if she was already getting romantic notions, her father and uncles would have fits when she went off to Hogwarts and wrote home about her first crush. Felicity seemed to drift for a moment before she answered, “You know, like how long you and dad dated before you got married. And how he asked you to marry him. Interesting things like that.”

Yep, they were officially in trouble. Their precocious eleven-year-old was already developing an interest in all things romantic. Choosing her words carefully, Hermione told her story. “Well, since we’d known each other for such a long time, and we were already close friends, our relationship moved along quite quickly. Your dad asked me to marry him only about three months after we started dating,” she paused, laughing lightly. “He proposed two weeks before my birthday. Said that he didn’t want to be predictable.”

“Then what?” her daughter asked eagerly, practically bouncing in her seat.

“We were married in the springtime, in April. You’ve seen those photos.”

Felicity nodded, “So you began dating in July of 2004, married in April of 2005 but I wasn’t born until September of 2008, why?”

“Well,” Hermione began, her mind drifting to think about that time. They had been far too in love to keep their hands off of each other. At first, they’d wanted to wait because they wanted to spend some time together alone, traveling, and enjoying each other before they brought a child into the world, then when they decided to have a baby, it took nearly a year before they’d been successful. She sighed, trying to decide how much she should say to an eleven-year-old. Her daughter was incredibly intelligent, but because of the things that she’d experienced growing up, Hermione was always careful to remember that she was just a child and she didn’t want to push her into growing up too fast. At the same time, she didn’t want certain information coming from outside sources so it was always a balancing act when deciding how much to say. “At first your father and I wanted to spend time together as a married couple. We traveled some, and worked on things that we wanted to accomplish in our careers.”

She took a sip of her tea, still trying to decide if she would discuss the year of worry that they’d had when trying to conceive. They’d been told that it was perfectly normal, but Hermione had been terrified that it had something to do with the torture and dark spells that she’d experienced. In the end, they’d never known what it was because she ended up conceiving just within the year that the healers required before they would begin exploring options for fertility treatments.

Apparently she drifted for a little too long because she heard, “Mum?” and looked up to see her daughter eyeing her suspiciously.

“Sorry, I got lost in the memories for a minute there. Once we decided that we were ready for a baby, it took a year for me to get pregnant with you.” She smiled lovingly, “That’s how you got your name, you know. We were so happy to finally have you that we wanted your name to have a special meaning. We settled on Felicity because it means happiness and luck. But if you ever ask your dad where your name came from, he’ll tell you that you’re named after the main character on an American television show called  _ Felicity _ . That Felicity had curls like mine and when you were born with curly hair, he bumped it to the top of our list.”

Felicity’s laughter echoed through the kitchen. “Of course dad would say that.” She met Hermione's gaze then, “Thanks, I like hearing these stories. Do you think you can tell me more while we are all stuck here at home?”

“Of course, my darling. We can get some photo albums out tonight after dinner. Would you like that?”

She nodded, then chewed on her lip as if she wanted to ask something else.

Hermione waited patiently, knowing that if she pushed, her daughter was less likely to open up. After a short silence, she found out the cause for the hesitation. “I heard you and dad saying that the virus continues to get worse, that Hogwarts may close down. If that happens…” she looked down at her hands, not meeting her mother’s eyes, “do you think my cousins will be around and maybe have friends over?”

“I don’t know the answer to either of those questions,” Hermione said honestly but reached up to gently squeeze her hand. “I’m sure if Hogwarts closes, your aunts and uncles will keep their kids away for at least two weeks, same as we are doing now. Then as long as all of us are taking the same precautions, we can all be together around here in The Weasley Woods.” It was what they’d jokingly named the neighborhood just outside Ottery St.Catchpole on The Burrow’s property. “But I can’t imagine that friends will be allowed over. If schools close, it will likely be because of a national lockdown order, people will have to stay at home.”

Her daughter’s face fell and Hermione wondered then if there was a specific friend she was hoping to see. Deciding to press a little she asked, “Which friend were you wondering about? If I know who it is, I may be able to answer the question better.”

Felicity turned red but mumbled an answer. 

“Who? I didn’t quite catch that,” she coaxed a bit more.

“Scorpius Malfoy,” she repeated a little more clearly.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione struggled to come up with the right thing to say. “Felicity,” she began calmly, but her daughter cut her off.

“I know what you’re going to say, mum. He’s too old. He’s already fourteen and I’m only eleven. He’ll be a fourth-year when I start school. I know all of that. But dad was in third year when you started. Is it really that different?”

None of this was supposed to happen yet. There should be years before they had to deal with this type of thing. Was this how Molly felt about Ginny’s crush on Harry? Feeling the beginning of a tension headache, she began to address the issue at hand. It had to be done before Fred made it inside. He certainly wasn’t ready for his little girl to be thinking about boys, “Yes, you’re right about all of that. Your father is nearly two years older than I am, but we didn’t start dating until we were both in our twenties.”

The smirk that her daughter shot at her should have been warning enough, but she still wasn’t prepared for the next words that came out of the eleven-year old’s mouth. “What about Viktor Krum? You weren’t of age then. You were only a fourth year and he  _ was  _ of age.”

Fuck! How the bloody hell did she know about Viktor? And how could she possibly answer that? Hearing the door opening and the sound of voices coming in from the sitting room, she quietly said, “We’ll discuss this later. I’m going to guess that you don’t want your brothers to know about this conversation.”

With wide eyes, Felicity shook her head. And Hermione relaxed knowing that she’d bought a little time to think about what to say. 

As they all sat down to dinner a few minutes later, Hermione looked around at her family. Things in the world were full of uncertainty, and they were entering the crazy adolescent years with their daughter. But she knew that no matter what life threw at them, they would get through it as a family. Their love was strong enough to make it through anything as long as they were together.


End file.
